Dec. 22 edition

Prep volleyball

Gurneys, Guns and Hoses

Mason wins H&R County Player honors SPORTS, PAGE B1

Almost $20,000 raised for Salvation Army LOCAL & STATE, PAGE A3 CLOUDY 44 • 30 FORECAST, B6

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2017

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Powered by herald-review.com | #TogetherDecatur

DECATUR AIRPORT

FEDS REJECT JET SERVICE WHAT HAPPENED

WHO WANTED SKYWEST

WHAT’S NEXT

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Thursday voted to provide federal Essential Air Service funding to the carrier Cape Air.

The Decatur Park Board and business leaders, including Archer Daniels Midland, recommended another carrier, SkyWest, which would have provided jets only to Chicago.

Cape Air’s contract starts Feb. 1, serving St. Louis and Chicago, although local officials did not know Thursday when service would begin.

JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW

Ground security coordinator Nick Watson waves at a flight headed for Chicago from the Decatur Airport Thursday evening. The U.S. Department of Transportation on Thursday issued a decision on subsidized air travel at the airport.

Cape Air chosen for Decatur flights despite park district, ADM recommendations JAYLYN COOK AND ALLISON PETTY

Herald & Review

DECATUR — The federal decision to choose Cape Air for Decatur’s next commercial airline over the recommendation of local elected officials and business leaders came down to money.

The U.S. Department of Transportation chooses Decatur’s airline because its air service is subsidized through the Essential Air Service program. Ma-

jor local employers, especially Archer Daniels Midland Co., persuaded the Decatur Park District to advocate for SkyWest Airlines and its proposal of jet service to Chicago.

But the community support was not enough. SkyWest would have cost $700,000 more in federal subsidies than Cape Air, a bridge too far for the federal department, which announced its decision Thursday.

“We are very disappointed in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s decision,” ADM spokesman Colin McBean said in a statement. “Passenger jet service would have been a catalyst for local Decatur businesses, helping drive

What the DOT decision said “While the Department gives serious consideration to the comments of the community, it is not its only consideration. It is also important that the Department be mindful of its fiduciary responsibilities.”

Please see JETS, Page A2

UNITED DEPARTM STATES OF AM ER ENT OF TRANSPO ICA OFFICE RTATION OF TH WASHING E SECRETARY TON, D.C .

Issued by the Departm ent of Tran on the 21 st sportatio day of Dec ember, 2017 n

Essential Air Service at BURLIN GTON, IOW (FAIN 69A 34518602 A 02) DECATU R, (FAIN 69A ILLINOIS 34518604 1 40) under 49 U.S. C.

DOT-OS DOT-OS

41731 et seq.

T-2001-8731

T-2006-23929

ORDER SELECTIN G AIRLIN ES AND ESTABLIS SUBSID

Summary HING AN Y RATES NUAL By this Orde Multi-Aero, r, the United States Dep at Burlingto Inc. d/b/a Air Choice artment of Transpor n, January 31, Iowa, for the four One (Air Choice One tation (the Departm -year cont ent) is 1) re-se ) 2022, and to prov ract term ide Essential provide EAS 2) selecting from Air Service lecting January 31, at Decatur, Illinois, Hyannis Air Service, February 1, 2018, (EAS) thro for the two2020.

Inc. year contract d/b/a Cape Air (Capugh term from e Air) to At Burlingto February 1, 2018, thro Internatio n, Air Choice One ugh nal Airport will provide (ORD) and Internatio 12 weekly nal Airport 12 weekly nonstop roun (STL) (for nonstop roun d trips to Chic a total of 24 d ago O’Hare weekly roun trips to St. Louis-La mbert d trips) usin 1 g 9-passen FAIN = Fede ger Cessna ral Award Ident

Visit herald-review.com to read the complete report.

 INSIDE:What’s next for Decatur

Order: 2017 -12-20 Served: Dec ember 21, 2017

passengers with Cape Air. PAGE A2

ification Num ber.

Decatur police gobble up goodwill Congress OKs temporary Cops and Gobblers giveaway provides food to those in need TONY REID

Herald & Review

DECATUR — Police in Decatur were confronted with a huge case of “fowl” play on Thursday morning — and they loved it.

The occasion was a new event

DISCOVER DIGITAL $2

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Volume 145, Issue 356 •

called “Cops and Gobblers” aimed at brightening the dining tables of the needy this Christmas. Police officers laughed and joked with the public and gave away 600 turkeys, along with $25 Kroger gift cards, to deserving people who might otherwise struggle to provide their families with a festive feast.

The cost of this massive flight of festive spirit came to more than $25,000 and was paid for with fundraising by the Decatur Police Department, the Macon County Sheriff ’s Office and a

grant from the WSOY Community Food Drive. The distribution was hosted at the North Jasper Street headquarters of the Boys and Girls Club of Decatur.

“It does show a different side of law enforcement and just how much they care about the people,” said Meeka Williams, 31, who had just loaded up her free turkey. She then looked over at a large group of smiling city police officers and deputies, all clearly having a

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Please see TURKEY, Page A2

bill to avert shutdown ANDREW TAYLOR

Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Republican-led Congress narrowly passed a temporary spending bill Thursday to avert a government shutdown, doing the bare minimum in a sprint toward the holidays and punting disputes on immigration, health care and the budget to next year.

 Fire up Netflix: The best Hallmark Christmas

movies.

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COMICS LIFE LOTTERY

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The measure passed the House on a 231-188 vote over Democratic opposition and then cleared the Senate, 66-32, with Democrats from Republican-leaning states providing many of the key votes. President Donald Trump is expected to sign the measure.

The stopgap legislation would keep

OBITUARIES SPORTS TV

Please see SHUTDOWN, Page A2

D3 B1-5 D6

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LOCAL

| Friday, december 22, 2017

Decatur HeralD & review

This week at heraldreview.com/calendar Friday

Saturday

diabetes Self-management Program: 8:3011 a.m., macon county Health department.

Learn to deal with pain and fatigue, better nutrition and exercise choices.

Super Saturday recess, 10 a.m. to noon, diSc. $4 per child; free for members.For youth ages 4 to 11, inflatables, scooters, basketball, tumbling, rock wall.

Sunday

Outdoor christmas Light Show, 5 to 10 p.m., Life Foursquare church, 2954 West ash avenue, decatur. Walk the path Park your vehicle, tune in to the posted Fm station, and watch the lights synced to music.

DECATUR AIRPORT

What’s next for Decatur passengers?

JAYLYN COOK

Herald & Review

JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW

From left, boys and Girls club of decatur executive director bruce Jeffery, decatur Police Sgt. Tony Tertocha, decatur Police K-9 officer matt daniels and boys and girls club maintenance supervisor al Lawson share a laugh with macon county Sherriff Howard buffett while unloading turkeys for the cops and Gobblers event at the boys and girls club Thursday morning.

Turkey From A1

good time executing this unusual holiday mission.

“And they love what they do, obviously,” she added with a smile of her own.

The idea for Cops and Gobblers began with a joint project dreamed up by the canine handlers for both Decatur Police and the Macon County Sheriff ’s Office, although other personnel from both forces soon joined in to make it a success.

Chad Larner, a Decatur police detective and the canine handler of his four-legged partner Leeroy Jenkins, said the aim was an outreach project that would deliver help and introduce the public to policemen outside of calls for service, which often aren’t happy times for anyone.

“What gets lost sometimes is we do this job for 40 hours a week but we’re people as well, and you see things that touch your heart,” explained Larner, talking of encountering families in need in the course of a shift. Knowing that need is out there, he said, gives the police the opportunity to lend a hand and maybe build some goodwill bridges while they’re doing it.

“We’ve already got pretty solid police-community relations in Decatur,” he added.

“But if you start a relationship you have to maintain it, and I like to think that is also what we’re doing here.”

He said Cops and Gobblers is now a kind of offshoot of the WSOY food drive and the hope is to make it an annual Christmas present for the needy. Reaching that huge price tag looms as a challenge even for the long arm of the law, and its friends, but they’re confident.

“This community is the

CORRECTION Decatur police officers found evidence of gunfire after an altercation Wednesday in the 1300 block of West Marietta Street.

This information was incorrect in the brief “Police: 1 injured in altercation” on page A6 in Thursday’s Herald & Review.

In the story “Bad review costs guest extra $350” on C1 of Thursday’s Herald & Review, the Associated Press incorrectly identified the defendant. It should have been Abbey Management Inc.

OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCURACY See an error in our reporting? We want you to tell us about issues regarding accuracy and fairness. contact (217) 421-8905 or ccoates@herald-review.com. Past corrections are at herald-review. com/corrections.

Giving Season of

“This community is the most generous community in this nation. As long as there is a need, we will be here to meet it.”

Brian Byers, vice-president of development for Neuhoff media most generous community in this nation,” said Brian Byers, vice-president of development for Neuhoff Media and morning show host on WSOY-AM. “As long as there is a need, we will be here to meet it.”

Dozens of police officers had lent a hand to make Thursday’s big turkey distribution work with military precision.

The truck delivering the turkeys was given a police escort and turkeys were handed out between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to ticket-holding recipients. Their names had earlier been recommended by organizations like the Boys and Girls Club, Salvation Army and food banks and each ticket had a collection time on it to avoid distribution bottlenecks, or maybe turkey necks.

Kristina Paden, who had just picked up her bird, was impressed by how smoothly it all went, and very impressed with the turkey and gift card. “It’s wonderful,” said Paden. “And a blessing to see the police doing such great things for the community.”

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DECATUR — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s decision Thursday means passengers flying out of Decatur Airport will be able to make connections with national airlines from flights on Cape Air, an element missing from current service there.

Cape Air has ticketing and baggage agreements with Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways and United Airlines, according to the U.S. DOT. That means passengers can purchase tickets that allow them to make a connection with a flight from one of the larger partner airlines without having to gather

Jets From A1

economic growth and job creation in the region.”

The department also rejected a bid from Air Choice One, which offered flights from Decatur since 2009.Cape Air will fly passengers to St. Louis Lambert International Airport and O’Hare International Airport in Chicago on a twin-engine Cessna that seats nine. The airline sought $5.9 million in subsidies over the next two years.

The choice means that Decatur lost out on incentives that ADM promised if SkyWest was approved. The company said it would provide 5,000 passengers a year and up to $100,000 for airport renovations.

The agribusiness giant said many of its workers travel between Decatur and its corporate headquarters in Chicago. Company policy did not allow them to fly on Air Choice One because of its single-engine planes, ADM said in a letter to the department.

The contract with Cape Air runs from Feb. 1 to Jan. 31, 2020.

Park district Executive Director Bill Clevenger said it was still unclear when the transition would take place.“We knew it was up to DOT the whole time,” Clevenger said. “I think there were positives to having jet service, and right now, DOT has issued their choice, so we’ll look forward to working with Cape Air.”

District changes course

Representatives of Cape Air, SkyWest and Air Choice One first shared their Essential Air Service proposals with the park board on Oct. 31. On Nov. 3, the board voted 3-2 to recommend the Massachusetts-based Cape Air to the Department of Transportation. Commissioners Chris Riley and Jack Kenny voted for SkyWest, citing the economic opportunities created by jet service.

Pointing to Cape Air’s experience in similar-sized cities, Board President Bob Brilley II and Commissioners Stacey Young and Chris Harrison said the air-

bags or check in again.

Air Choice One, like many small airlines, has struggled to establish these agreements with the larger carriers.

As manager of Atlas Travel in Decatur, Cindy Ford knows the inconvenience passengers face when they fly on an airline that does not have a baggage agreement. They have to allow time to check in luggage again, hoping the process doesn’t cause them to miss a flight.

“That is one of the hassles,” Ford said.She hoped customers could look forward to a smoother experience with the new airline, which she understood to be similar to Air Choice One. Each week, Cape Air will pro-

vide 24 round-trip flights to Chicago and 12 to St. Louis. The plane is a twin-engine Cessna 402 that can seat nine passengers.

Air Choice One offered 18 weekly trips each to both cities.

It used a single-engine Cessna Grand Caravan that seats eight passengers.

Ford also hopes Air Choice One is as reliable as Cape Air, which she said was greater than former airlines that served Decatur. She said she is watching Cape Air for its safety and cost, the most important features for her and her customers.

Airport Director Tim Wright said the park district has not worked out details about the

transition with Cape Air, but he expects it to go smoothly.

“We’ll move forward working with Cape Air to welcome them to the Decatur Airport,” he said.

Donnette Beckett, of the Herald & Review, contributed to this report.

line would be a better fit.Business leaders swiftly asked the board to reconsider. Just two weeks later, representatives from ADM, Decatur Memorial Hospital and T/ CCI appealed to the commissioners to change their recommendation to SkyWest, saying jet service was more convenient for their employees and associates. ADM representatives also promised passengers and money as incentives.

During that meeting on Nov. 15, Brilley asked the business leaders why they didn’t reach out to the board before the initial vote. Some said scheduling prevented them from doing so, while others were not aware that the vote had already happened.

Harrison changed his vote, making the final tally 3-2 in favor of the Utah-based SkyWest.

Despite the sudden change in course, Brilley told the Herald & Review that he would support the decision and submit the paperwork to the Department of Transportation that afternoon.

The board voted Dec. 6 to accept ADM’s money for airport improvements, stipulating that the contract depended on SkyWest becoming the next air service provider.

Clevenger confirmed Thursday that the district will not receive the money.

$6.6 million in federal subsidies.

It had also asked the department for a contract provision that would allow it to end the Decatur service with 120 days’ notice.

“Since the department cannot reasonably justify such an increase in annual subsidy and Cape Air’s service will sufficiently meet Decatur’s EAS (needs), the department will select Cape Air,” the department said.

Further, it noted that Cape Air would provide service to O’Hare and use a twin-engine aircraft, both provisions that ADM had said were crucial.

Cape Air spokeswoman Trish Lorino said in a statement that the airline “trusts the process undertaken by the DOT, and looks forward to serving the Decatur community with the same level of service and commitment we have shown in all the EAS communities where we have been the selected carrier.”

Cape Air also provides Essential Air Service to communities in Montana, Missouri, Kentucky, Vermont and elsewhere in Illinois.

Passengers waiting in Decatur Airport on Thursday afternoon were not aware of the airline change, but said they enjoyed the convenience of being able to fly to O’Hare.

“It’s just easier than driving,” said Gaurav Aggarwal, who was in town for a job interview and flying back to Chicago the same day. “I just didn’t want to drive back and forth (to Chicago).”

Having recently moved to Decatur, Ben Lastoria was also using the airport for the first time and appreciated the convenience.

When told that Cape Air would also offer flights to St. Louis, Lastoria said he was glad because there are sometimes cheaper connecting flights from Lambert.

But before he committed to flying from Decatur again, Lastoria said he wanted to see how his first flight went. The plane was the smallest he’d ever been on.

air service at Decatur Airport.

However, she said SkyWest is “grateful for the opportunity we had to bid on service and for the positive community support we received.”

Kenny and Riley, who supported SkyWest’s bid throughout the Essential Air Service recommendation process, also said they were unhappy with the department’s decision. Harrison and Young did not respond to requests for comment from the Herald & Review on Thursday.

“I was surprised by it, but that’s the way it is,” Kenny said.

“I guess they see it differently than the way we do locally, and they’re the final word.”

Riley is the director of state government relations at ADM, and previously said that he felt no conflict in voting for the same air service provider that was preferred by his employer. Bringing jet service to Decatur was a personal goal for him, as he hoped it would strengthen Decatur’s economy.

“The park board is always interested in the park district succeeding,” Riley said. “I truly hope that Cape Air succeeds.”

Brilley said he was pleased by the department’s decision. He said he was impressed by Cape Air’s willingness to create a local presence by opening a ticket booth in Decatur, as well as its approach to bringing more passengers to fly out of the airport.

If the airport reaches 10,000 enplanements, or flights that originate from Decatur, within a year, the park district will receive more federal money for infrastructure.

“I think we’ll move a lot forward than what people think,” Brilley said. “We’ll move on, work with Cape Air and make it work.”

McBean, the ADM spokesman, said the company now is looking into its next steps.

“We are reviewing the decision,” he said, “and evaluating options for reconsideration or appeal.”

very difficult decisions on how we move forward in the first and second quarter of next year,” said Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., a leader of a powerful faction of hard-right Republicans. “There is a lot to do next month. I’m not worried today. I’ll wait until January to be worried, OK?” Democrats initially had pressed for adding their priorities to the measure, but once rebuffed on immigration they worked to keep the bill mostly free of add-ons, figuring that they’ll hold greater leverage next month.

Among the items left behind was $81 billion worth of disaster aid, which passed the House on a bipartisan 251-169 tally but stalled in the Senate. The measure would have brought this year’s tally for aid to hurricane victims in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and other parts of the Caribbean, as well as fire-ravaged California, to more than $130 billion. But both Republicans and Democrats in the Senate want changes, and it was among the items Democrats sought to hold onto for leverage next year.

Finances outweigh support

jcook@herald-review.com | (217) 421-7980  More online: Visit herald-

review.com to read the public comments from ADM and the Decatur Park District Board that the U.S. Department of Transportation received about what airline should get funding for subsidized air service.

Park district leaders provided two letters to the Department of Transportation. The first, sent Nov. 3, advocated for the choice of Cape Air, followed by one dated Nov. 15 that indicated the board changed its mind and supported SkyWest.

The department received a handful of other letters also in support of SkyWest, including a page and a half from ADM, according to public records. No one favored Air Choice One, and the department eliminated it from consideration.

Community support is im- Mixed reaction portant, the department said, In a statement, SkyWest but it is not the only factor con- spokeswoman McKall Morris Claire Hettinger, of the Herald sidered. said the airline was disappointed & Review, contributed to this reSkyWest’s proposal called for that it was not chosen to provide port.

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Shutdown From A1

the government from closing down at midnight Friday. It has traversed a tortured path, encountering resistance from the GOP’s most ardent allies of the military, as well as opposition from Democrats who demanded but were denied a vote on giving immigrants brought to the country as children and in the country illegally an opportunity to become citizens.

The wrap-up measure allows

Republicans controlling Washington to savor their win on this week’s $1.5 trillion tax package — even as they kick a full lineup of leftover work into the new year.

Congress will return in January facing enormous challenges on immigration, the federal budget, health care and national security along with legislation to increase the government’s authority to borrow money.

Each of those items is sure to test the unity that Republicans are enjoying now.

“Now it gets down to some

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DECATUR HERALD & REVIEW

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2017 |

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LOCAL & STATE BRIEFS HERALD & REVIEW STAFF AND NEWS SERVICE

Chicago PD busts illegal sales on Facebook CHICAGO — Chicago police say dozens of people have been arrested after officers infiltrated an invitation-only Facebook group where they bought guns and drugs.

Superintendent Eddie Johnson said Thursday that police seized 18 guns and $46,000 worth of drugs, arrested 50 people and secured arrest warrants for 18 more following a nearly yearlong investigation.

Police say the investigation started when an informant told the department’s narcotics division about the Facebook group that couldn’t be found through the search function.

Johnson criticized Facebook, saying it took investigators months to infiltrate the group because of the company’s unwillingness to cooperate.

A Facebook spokesperson told The Associated Press the company is investigating the matter.

A police spokesman said later Thursday that Facebook has since reached out to the department, and the company and police will be meeting to discuss problems detectives encountered.

TOGETHER DECATUR

First responders aid needy Almost $20,000 raised in Gurneys, Guns and Hoses contest for Salvation Army HERALD & REVIEW

DECATUR — The friendly competition among Decatur’s first responders to raise the most money for the Salvation Army yielded nearly $20,000, the organization announced Thursday.

On Friday and Saturday, the Salvation Army kettles at various stores were manned by representatives from the Decatur Police Department, Decatur Fire Department, Macon County Sheriff ’s Office, other fire departments in Macon County and the Decatur Am-

bulance Service.

The Decatur Fire Department raised the most money with $5,337.34, said Kyle Karsten, director of development and community relations.

The event has been traditionally known as “Guns and Hoses,” but was renamed “Gurneys, Guns and Hoses” this year after the ambulance service joined.

The total amount raised among the agencies both days was $19,626.67, about 17 percent higher than last year’s total of $16,753.72. The city fire department also brought in the most money last year.

“We want to say thank you to each group of first responders for the amazing amount of support this event

Giving Season of

brings to supporting the community and The Salvation Army,” Karsten said in a statement. “Thank you also to the Decatur Community for their generosity this bell ringing weekend. Decatur is amazing.”

Other department totals were:  County fire, $4,083.75  Macon County Sheriff ’s Office, $3,263.51  Decatur Police Department, $3,506.13  Decatur Ambulance Service, $3,435.94 The Salvation Army still needs help to reach the total goal of $470,000 for its Tree of Lights fundraising campaign. Donations placed into the iconic red kettles make up just a part of that goal, said Wes Dalberg, the organization’s executive director.

“We will continue to take donations toward reaching that goal, even after the Christmas holiday and into the New Year if necessary,” Dalberg said.

Charges dropped against inmates CHICAGO — Cook County prosecutors have dropped murder charges against two longtime prison inmates who were granted new trials after contending a Chicago detective beat them into confessing.

Prosecutors told a judge Thursday they had no choice but to drop the charges after his decision last week to throw out the confessions of Gabriel Solache and Arturo Reyes.

The judge concluded now-retired Detective Reynaldo Guevara lied when he said the men confessed to the 1998 stabbing death of a Chicago couple.

The decision clears the way for Solache and Reyes to be released from custody after nearly 20 years.

It also brings to at least six the number of inmates who spent years behind bars before their own allegations against Guevara helped them win their freedom.

Man gets 20 years in brother’s killing EDWARDSVILLE — A southern Illinois man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of his younger brother.

Fifty-nine-year-old Jerry Ryan of Granite City was initially charged with first-degree murder in the March death of 51-year-old Michael Ryan.

But The Belleville News Democrat reports Jerry Ryan pleaded guilty to an amended charge of second-degree murder and both the prosecution and defense agreed to a 20-year sentence. He was sentenced Monday in Madison County for the killing.

Police say Ryan told officers his brother told him to “get a knife and stab him” just before he killed his sibling. After the attack, Ryan called 911 and told the dispatcher he had unintentionally stabbed his brother as they were wrestling during an argument over household bills.

State plans to restore food stamps ASSOCIATED PRESS

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SPRINGFIELD — State officials say food stamp benefits will be restored by this week for tens of thousands of Illinois households that lost them because of problems with a state computer system.

The Chicago Tribune reports that officials with Illinois Department of Human Services announced Thursday that the benefits would be restored by the end of Friday.

Illinois began rolling out a new computer system in 2013 to administer entitlement benefits, including food stamps. The second phase of that process began in late October.

In November, more than 40,000 households lost their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, more commonly known as SNAP or food stamps.

Some of those benefits have since been restored, but more than 30,000 of those households had remained without food stamp benefits.

CLAY JACKSON, HERALD & REVIEW

CHRISTMAS HANGOUT Isaiah Dawson, 3, dressed as Olaf Thursday during the 2nd annual Decatur Community Christmas Celebration at Homework Hangout Club, Inc. The event included a Santa Shop where kids and adults could shop and get items for free, a dinner, a meet and greet with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Police: Man Beltway sees some progress admits he’s #9 an armed drug dealer NUMBER 9

Airport.

The Herald & When construction Review is on the beltway will begin in earnest The decades-long discussion for counting down remains a major beltway across the eastern to be seen, asthe a vast majority top 10 stories of the out of 10 of be 2017.

Visitfor through part of Decatur took another step project would paid out of 10 herald-review.com toward reality this year. grants from the federal government.

Top local to see more oursent to It was announced in SeptemGrant applications have in been stories of ’17 Share your Amerber that Macon County reached an Infrastructureseries.

For Rebuilding thoughts on our agreement to purchase land near ica, the U.S. Department of TransSPORTS NEWS selections at Brush College Road and Illinois 48 portation program that assists in herald-review.com/letters.

TONY REID that would allow work to start on a local road projects, but no response Herald & Review “connector project” that itself would to redevelop the intersection for the is expected until 2018 at the earliest. be the starting point for the Macon connector project is covered by $10 The beltway has also run into DECATUR — Police said they pulled an County Beltway. The project, a 22- million in state money given to the more opposition the closer it comes armed Decatur drug dealer off the street mile stretch of road estimated to cost county in 2014 by former Gov. Pat to fruition. The Macon County Wednesday afternoon with an arrest fol$220 million, would carry truck traf- Quinn. Work is expected to start on Farm Bureau has come out against lowing a traffic stop.

A sworn affidavit said the 27-year-old fic around the southern and eastern the connector this spring. the project as currently planned, as City and county leaders currently the road would take away existing edges of Decatur, rather than have man, who has a revoked license, strugtrucks use rural streets and con- are focused on the first segment of farmlands. Officials from the Farm gled against police officers and had to be gested areas. the beltway, which would cost $140 Progress Show, which has made its physically subdued after the stop in the The county will pay $225,000 for million and create 6.2 miles of four- home at the Progress City USA event 1300 block of East Hickory Street. Police 8.3 acres of land it has spent the last lane road between Illinois 48 near site in the northeastern part of Deofficer Jason Danner said a search of the six months negotiating to purchase Interstate 72 and Illinois 105, or catur every other year since 2005, man’s car found 60 grams of cannabis with private landowners. That cov- William Street Road. The road would also raised concerns that the project and 20 blue and red pills identified as ers about $26,500 per acre as well as closely follow Reas Bridge Road and would cut into the show’s existing ecstasy. the filing and legal fees to get the deal Prairie View Road before connecting demonstration fields, a major draw Danner said a semi-automatic 9mm done. The land acquisition and cost with Illinois 105 east of the Decatur for the three-day event. handgun with 22 live rounds in the magazine was tucked underneath the driver’s seat. Police said they also seized a digital scale from the vehicle’s center console and the amount of drugs, together with the scale, indicated a drug dealer.

The man also was carrying more than $1,200 in cash, police said.

From now until Christmas the Herald & “(He) admitted he sells cannabis for Review is offering special digital and print money and carries the firearm for progifts to our readers. tection,” Danner said after questioning Today’s gift is a performance by blues the man. “He denied any knowledge of artist Noah Williams, who played during a the ecstasy pills.

“Live in the Newsroom” performance at the The man, who does not yet have an atHerald & Review on Thursday. See a video at torney, remained in the Macon County herald-review.com.

Jail on Thursday night in lieu of posting Our “12 gifts for readers” feature contin$150,000 bond. He has been booked on ues Friday. Come back tomorrow to find out preliminary charges of the manufacture/ the next gift and visit herald-review.com for delivery of cannabis and ecstasy, being an previous ones. armed habitual criminal and armed violence. He also faces charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a weapon by a felon and resisting-obstructing police; all charges are subject JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW to review by the State’s Attorney’s Office.

He is due to be arraigned Dec. 28.

Blues artist Noah Williams performs a “Live in the Newsroom” concert on Thursday at the Herald & Review. Visit herald-review. treid@herald-review.com|(217) 421-7977 com to see a video of the performance.

RYAN VOYLES

Herald & Review

The Herald & Review is counting down the top 10 stories of 2017. Visit herald-review.com Top local to see more in our series. Share your stories of ’17 thoughts on our selections at herald-review.com/letters.

Artist Noah Williams performs

LOCAL & STATE

A4 | Friday, December 22, 2017

Manar calls for safety review of crash area

Decatur Herald & Review

14 YEARS LATER

Clinton drownings cast shadow LaGrone: Children’s deaths ‘a tragic situation for me, too’

Driver injured by intruder Man climbs into car, punches victim twice

ASSOCIATED PRESS

EDITH BRADY-LUNNY

TONY REID

‌ PRINGFIELD — State Sen. S Andy Manar is seeking a safety review of a construction zone on Interstate 55 after at least two fatal crashes.

The Democrat from Bunker Hill, whose district includes Decatur, released a letter Wednesday to Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn.

Manar Repair work on roughly 10 miles of I-55 between Hamel and Illinois 143 in Madison County began in late October.

A 10-car pileup last Friday sent 10 people to the hospital and killed a woman from Livingston.

It was near the site of a November crash that killed four young women including two of Manar’s constituents from Staunton.

Manar wants the Transportation Department “to determine what can be done to minimize future accidents and improve safety.”

Herald & Review News Service‌

Herald & Review‌

‌MOUNT STERLING — The deaths of three children in Clinton Lake 14 years ago left behind a trail of lasting consequences for the couple charged in connection with their deaths and for those who loved the youngsters.

Convicted of murder by a McLean County jury in 2006, Maurice LaGrone Jr. was sentenced to life in prison for the deaths of Christopher Hamm, 6, Austin Brown, 3, and their sister, Kyleigh Hamm, 23 months old, when they drowned in the back seat of a car driven by LaGrone.

In a separate trial the same year, LaGrone’s former girlfriend Amanda Hamm, the children’s mother, was convicted of child endangerment. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but only served about 14 months after she received credit for time served in jail awaiting trial, and for day-for-day credit on her prison term.

In a recent interview at Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mount Sterling, LaGrone still maintains the car went into the lake accidentally and that he and Amanda Hamm, whose last name is now Ware, were unable to save them.

LaGrone, now 42, understands that some people, including the fathers of the children and their families, will forever judge him harshly for parking on the boat ramp facing the water.

“I was just being a kid. I liked to have fun. Sometimes it’s not safe. I in no way chose to hurt anybody. It was a tragic situation for me, too,” he said.

Ed Parkinson, one of the special prosecutors who handled the two murder cases, said he remains convinced that LaGrone and his former girlfriend planned to kill the children as a precursor to starting a new life in St. Louis.

The tremendous loss felt by the families of the children should never be forgotten, he said.

“Nobody thinks about them,”

‌DECATUR — A Decatur driver had to defend himself after a stranger wearing a surgical mask climbed into his car and punched him twice in the head, police said.

A sworn affidavit said the 58-year-old victim suffered a bleeding, swollen nose and swelling near his left eye in the attack, which happened around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday in a downtown parking lot near the 100 block of West Prairie Avenue.

His 32-year-old assailant appeared to be high on narcotics, according to Decatur police officer Christopher Skalon. Police reports on the incident were incomplete Thursday and it’s not known if the suspect tested positive for illegal drugs.

Skalon said what the suspect told officers made no sense. “(He) stated that he was under the influence of corn syrup, and had ingested too much sugar, referring to his condition as ‘Caffeine-itus,’” Skalon added.

Skalon said the victim earlier told officers he had been getting ready to drive off when he suddenly heard a rear door open and a man “wearing a Chicago Cubs hat and a surgical mask over his face” got in.

The driver immediately jumped out and asked the suspect what he wanted. “(The suspect) stated ‘I thought you wanted me in the car’... and then punched him in the face two times…” said Skalon The driver fought back by kicking the suspect in the crotch, and his attacker ran off but only got as far as the 200 block of West Main Street before police intercepted him.

The suspect was booked on a preliminary charge of aggravated battery and remained held in the Macon County Jail on Thursday night in lieu of posting $40,000 bail. Preliminary charges are subject to review by the state’s attorney’s office. He is due to be arraigned Dec. 28.

Human Services complaints grow ASSOCIATED PRESS

‌ PRINGFIELD — A report finds S that incidents of alleged abuse and neglect of residents under the care of the Illinois Department of Human Services have increased by half since 2010 and the time it takes to completely investigate them has grown.

The audit released Thursday by Auditor General Frank Mautino reports that abuse and neglect complaints increased to 3,698 in the year that ended June 30 compared with 2,468 seven years earlier.

And it discovered the agency’s inspector general was not completing investigations into the complaints within the 60 working days agency rules require.

EDITH BRADY-LUNNY, HERALD & REVIEW NEWS SERVICE‌

Maurice Lagrone sits behind a glass window marred by graffiti during a recent interview at Western Illinois Correction Center where he is serving a life sentence for murder. LaGrone expressed regret for the deaths of three children, but still maintains they died accidentally in Clinton Lake 14 years ago.

HERALD & REVIEW NEWS SERVICE FILE PHOTO‌

In this September 2014 file photo, Amanda Ware, formerly known as Amanda Hamm, and her husband, Leo, talk about the custody case against them at their Chicago apartment. The state took custody of her three children after a doctor recognized Ware as the person involved in the Clinton Lake drowning case. said the prosecutor, adding he still recalls the smallest details of the case that he refers to as “the death of innocence.”

LaGrone, who was living with Ware and her children in a public housing complex in 2003, was transferred to the medium-level prison about a year ago from Pontiac Correctional Center. The move is part of the Department of Correction’s initiative to house inmates with no

disciplinary issues out of maximum-security prisons.

LaGrone said he is aware of the three-year court battle his former girlfriend has been waging in Cook County to retain custody of her three children born since she was released from prison.

The state took the two girls and a boy after a doctor recognized Ware as the person involved in the Clinton Lake drowning case.

Ware was in the hospital recov-

ering from the birth of her son in March 2014 when the child welfare investigation began.

A hearing in the custody case was postponed this week until February.

LaGrone said he regrets that his actions in 2003 have played a part in what is going on in Cook County.

“I’m remorseful, very apologetic for the accident that caused people harm and so much sorrow. I hate that this situation is following them after all these years,” he said.

To pass the time in prison, LaGrone lifts weights and attends classes. The memories of Sept.

2, 2003 return, he said, mostly at night.

“It’s like a nightmare. I have dreams of being in an incontrollable situation in a great body of water,” he said.

With his avenues to appeal his conviction exhausted at the state level, LaGrone focuses on prayers for forgiveness and peace of mind — both of which are elusive most of the time.

“Your prayers change when you come to prison. I try to stay humble” he said.

Forgiveness, he said, “is an every day process because I go back and forth. I’m still working on it.”

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DECATUR HERALD & REVIEW

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2017 |

A5

DIALOGUE

Founded 1872 | A Lee Enterprises Inc. organization herald-review.com/news/opinion #TogetherDecatur

Editorial Board

Julie Bechtel, publisher Tim Cain, audience engagement editor Chris Coates, executive editor Scott Perry, managing editor-print Unsigned editorials are opinions reached by a consensus of the editorial board and reflect the institutional voice of the Herald & Review.

Other articles, cartoons and letters on this page don’t necessarily reflect the views of the board.

OUR VIEW

Thumbs up!

Thumbs down!

HERALD & REVIEW EDITORIAL BOARD

THUMBS UP! To Door 4 Brewing Co. Welcome to the community to our second brewery. It will serve both cold-brew coffee and as many as 36 styles of craft beer. The brewery has the capacity to brew up to 155,000 gallons of beer a year. Craft beer has been a growing passion around the country and interest has increased throughout Macon County as well. Door 4 hopes to attract beer drinkers from throughout Central Illinois. They’ve found and targeted a market that seems (if you’ll excuse the expression) under-served.

THUMBS DOWN! To ill-prepared computer transitions. Tens of thousands of Illinois residents found themselves cut off from federal food stamps and a computer system transition is receiving the blame. Representatives of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union say the transition includes some time-consuming and tedious work, and they’ve fallen behind. Department of Human Services officials say cancellations of benefits were previously entered by hand and led to the possibility of a grace period waiting on paperwork.

Whichever side is right (or more correct than the other side) is less an issue than innocent people potentially going hungry. No system change is flawless. But there’s a difference when, as AFSCME Local 2808 President Vonceil Metts said, “we’re learning on the backs of poor people. And we’re taking their benefits away during the worst possible season.”

THUMBS UP! To the naming of the new ag academy. We’ll discuss the Howard G. Buffett donation to fund an agriculture academy for Decatur public schools on Sunday’s editorial page. But in the meantime, allow us

to tip our cap to the decision to name the academy the Dwayne O. Andreas Ag Academy. Andreas’ name is already legend in Decatur and around the world. The CEO of Archer Daniels Midland Co. from 1970 to 1997, Andreas grew the company from a regional grain processing concern to a business with $13-plus billion in revenue. Having his name present will allow young people to learn about his important legacy sooner while they’re being educated about 21st century agribusiness.

THUMBS DOWN To a confusing approval — we think. U.S. health officials approved the nation’s first gene therapy for an inherited disease, a treatment that improves the sight of patients with a rare form of blindness. Analysts predict the treatment will be priced around $1 million. That rate is understandable if it’s paying for the research of the drug. But we’re baffled about the willingness to approve gene therapy of six-figure prices, particularly when the country is in the midst of a continuing discussion about medical prices and insurance and what we can and cannot afford as a country and as individuals.

For whom is a $1 million treatment approved? What insurance company would ever take that risk, or help pay for that treatment? It seems akin to OK’ing citizenry flying into space. At the prices being discussed, it’s a luxury only a very few can justify.

THUMBS UP! To holiday decorators. While some of the efforts are certainly competition run rampant, more often than not, people do outdoor Christmas decorations to please themselves and entertain others. As entertainment goes, it’s an inexpensive and family-friendly option. We appreciate the efforts, enjoying them while they’re here and missing them when they’re gone. Thank you.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Financial projection needed on rezoning

I believe the city tax-paying public needs to know the financial projection for the project development slated for Ash Ave. What is the estimated cost for the city, including any incentives and street modifications? What is the lost real estate revenue for the homes that will be removed? What is the projected revenue from the proposed restaurant being built and what revenue will be lost from existing Mexican food restaurants that most likely will lose customers?

I doubt that the additional restaurant in that area will attract an appreciable number of first time, eating out customers. Maybe Bill Faber, city councilman who truly represents his constituents, can bring this up at the next council meeting.

William Blazier, Decatur

There’s more to Decatur than Ash and 51 We are lifelong residents of Decatur.

We’ve invested in this city having raised our children here and now our grandchildren. We’ve planted deep roots in this community as many others have and therefore support the growth of M Decatur and the surrounding areas as 1 the quality of life here is good.

Bringing new businesses to town is important and a well-known chain restaurant like Chipotle would be an excellent addition. However, the success of such a venture must come with careful planning. Planning that ensures long-term success and benefits for both the city and Chipotle.

There is more to Decatur than the intersection of Ash Ave. and Route 51.

There are many excellent sites that are not overstressed with traffic. There are both new sites and existing sites begging to be repurposed in other areas of town that should be looked at first.

Why would we want to offer a site that is already a nightmare? They say success is all about location, location, location. Let’s be proactive enough then to offer Chipotle the ‘right’ location to thrive in...one where traffic can freely and easily provide our residents and visitors access to their services?

We’ve been down this road before with Aldi. Why would we fool ourselves to think that what was considered a poor spot for them is now the best spot for Chipotle? We can do better than this.

Let’s look for alternate sites that better fit the basics of success. If you build it, Decatur will come out and support it but let’s do it right. Find a more accessible and safe location to benefit everyone.

Kathleen and Scott Arnold, Decatur

Rural America still struggling

T

here are 14,321 Dollar General stores in America. It’s chain that many shoppers have never heard of, yet it has more stores than Starbucks.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Dollar General company is worth $22 billion—far more than the nation’s largest grocery chain, Kroger, which has five times the revenue.

Sadly, however, Dollar General is thriving PETER FUNT because, as the Journal puts it, “rural America is struggling.” The chain builds stores where folks are down on their luck, where 20 percent of customers receive government assistance, and where even Wal-Mart won’t bother doing business.

I phoned several Dollar General stores and learned that none sells fresh meat or produce; the grocery aisles feature mostly canned and frozen goods. Many products, such as soft drinks, come in mini sizes to keep unit prices low. And not a single store had any newspapers for sale.

Maybe that’s just as well, because headlines these days report that the stock market is remarkably high and unemployment is surprisingly low.

But for rural America, news like that doesn’t hit home.

Things are looking up in Donald Trump’s America, except, of course, where they are not.

The administration’s proudest accomplishment is a tax bill that benefits millionaires and billionaires. The Joint Committee on Taxation finds that the Senate version of the bill would increase taxes on all Americans making less than $75,000 a year.

As Paul Krugman summarizes in The New York Times: “Everything this president and this Congress are doing on economic policy seems designed, not just to widen the gap between the wealthy and everyone else, but to lock in plutocrats’ advantages, making it easier to ensure that their heirs remain on top and the rest stay down.”

In rural America, where about 46 million people reside, employment and economic growth have not recovered from the last recession at a pace seen elsewhere in the nation.

Childhood poverty—perhaps the most critical metric in determining a population’s well-being—is considerably higher in rural areas than in urban centers.

The crisis facing rural America is rooted in the fact that peak-level employment related to natural resources,

such as mining and logging, is never coming back.

Rural America is mired in a permanent recession. Its problems are difficult to correct because of a sprawling landscape, scattered government support structures and what often seems to be federal indifference.

Many among the predominantly white rural population voted for Trump in 2016—a sign, perhaps, of utter desperation rather than considered opinion. But according to recent reporting by Politico, Trump now intends to make the most sweeping changes to federal safety net programs in a generation, using legislation and executive actions to target recipients of food stamps, Medicaid and housing benefits.

What the rural poor need is greater federal assistance, not less. They would welcome jobs such as repairing the nation’s infrastructure, which Trump campaigned on but doesn’t mention much these days.

As things stand, you don’t need a degree in economics to predict rural America’s future. Just consider: By this time next year Dollar General expects to have nearly 1,000 more stores.

Peter Funt is a columnist for caglecartoons.com.

Why is socialism still popular?

I

t’s a puzzle. Over the last decade, Venezuela has supplanted Cuba as the Shangri-La of the American left. Not long ago, self-declared socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders insisted that the American dream was more achievable in the Bolivarian Republic than in America. A string of Hollywood luminaries made the pilgrimage to visit the socialist Mecca to say ponderous and stupid things.

Today, the praise is more muted, because events have illuminated JONAH GOLDBERG that stupidity. The government recently advised its citizens to eat their pet rabbits. Inflation in Venezuela is reminiscent of Weimar Germany.

Roughly 85 percent of Venezuelan companies have stopped production to one extent or another, in the most oil-rich country in the world.

And yet, socialism is arguably more popular — in theory — than at any time in American history, particularly among young people. A Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation poll last November found that 42 percent of young people support capitalism, but 44 percent prefer socialism for a socioeconomic system.

Why the disconnect? For conservatives of my ilk, the most obvious answer is that, for the left, socialism itself is never to blame. One of my favorite guilty pleasures is the Socialist Party of Great Britain’s Twitter feed, which insists daily that the socialist ideal has never been tarnished by

real-world socialists. A tweet permanently affixed to the top of their page reads: “Are you about to tell us ‘Socialism was tried in Russia’ or ‘Look at Venezuela’ etc? It has NEVER EXISTED! It comes AFTER global capitalism!”

Even mainstream liberals don’t like to concede any points in socialism’s disfavor. The late Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet was a murderer and a tyrant. So was the late Cuban communist Fidel Castro. Pinochet helped his country transition to democracy.

Castro, who killed more people, left his country as a police state. But while Pinochet is a demonic figure in the liberal imagination, Castro’s status is far more complicated. He is still a hero to many.

For the last decade, the New York Times has covered the socialism of both Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez and his successor, Nicolas Maduro, with the same sophisticated nuance it long applied to Cuba. Over the weekend, it ran a heart-wrenching story on how Venezuela’s poor children are dying from starvation. But the culpability of Chavism, Venezuela’s brand of socialism, is something the reader has to bring to the page.

Such passive detachment between cause (in this case, socialist policies) and effect (mass misery and starvation) is rarely found when the Times reports on, say, Republican economic policy.

The disconnect between socialism’s record and its invincible appeal also stems from leftists’ denial of what it really entails. Thus, Tony Blair, the

former prime minister of Great Britain, dragged the Labor Party away from its official socialist dogma about the need for the “common ownership of the means of production.”

“Socialism for me,” Blair said, “was never about nationalization or the power of the state, not just about economics or even politics. It is a moral purpose to life, a set of values, a belief in society, in cooperation, in achieving together what we cannot achieve alone.”

That’s why he rejected socialism in favor of what he called “social-ism.”

Similarly, Bernie bros focus on social solidarity rather than political economy.

But even this watered down spirit of “we’re all in it together” — whether you call it socialism or nationalism — can do enormous damage. It is very hard to reconcile with democracy and the rule of law, unless there’s a dire national crisis, and even then it may cause grave damage.

I don’t want America to be Denmark. But at least Denmark recognizes that social democracy requires democracy, free speech and the rule of law to keep it from turning into Venezuela on the Baltic. I wouldn’t be so concerned about the rising support for socialism among young people in the United States, save for the fact that it’s been accompanied by a modest decline in support for democracy, too.

Jonah Goldberg is an editor-at-large of National Review Online and a visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

Email JonahsColumn@aol.com.

NEWS

A6 | Friday, December 22, 2017

Decatur Herald & Review

Police: Man faces drug charges Street.

Jones said the man had 4 grams of crack in a bag tucked into his underwear. A search of his home in the 1300 block of East Moore Street found a digital scale which had traces of a white powdery residue and a box of clear sandwich bags nearby and a baggie with the corners cut off.

“Detective Jones states that through his training and experience he knows subjects engaged in illegal sales of narcotics commonly use digital scales and clear plastic baggies to package and distribute their illegal

TONY REID

Herald & Review‌

‌DECATUR — A Decatur man pulled over Wednesday and accused by police of carrying crack cocaine and more than $1,000 in his wallet is now facing preliminary charges of being a drug dealer.

Decatur police Officer Jonathan Jones said in a sworn affidavit that the 27-year-old man, already wanted on an outstanding warrant for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, had been stopped in the 900 block of East Johns

JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW‌

BACKPACKING GIFTS From left facing, Brad Godden, Amanda Keays and Melissa Keays of the Decatur Association of Realtors get ready for a group picture with recipients of backpacks donated from the association to Webster-Cantrell Hall Thursday. Representatives of the association delivered the packs filled with gifts and necessary items for kids living at the hall.

Driver flees scene of 2-car crash HERALD & REVIEW STAFF

‌ ECATUR — One of the drivers D in a crash Thursday on the city’s northeast side fled from the scene and was being sought by police, a fire department captain said.

The crash was at about 2 p.m.

on North 22nd Street near Tanager Drive. The cars were a Buick Park Avenue, which ran off the road and struck a tree, and a Ford Mustang.

Capt. Ben Taylor of the fire department confirmed that the driver of the Park Avenue left the

scene. The other driver was not injured, and there were no passengers, Taylor said.

The Decatur Police Department, Decatur Ambulance Service and crews from Ameren Illinois were also at the scene.

Starvation looms in South Sudan As civil war drags into 5th year, 1.25 million facing famine SAM MEDNICK

Associated Press‌

J‌ IECH, South Sudan — Writhing in agony on the dirt floor of his hut, Bob Wol traced the recent gunshot wounds on his thigh and back with his fingers.

“I was trying to get food and my government tried to kill me,” the 29-year-old told The Associated Press.

It’s been almost 25 years since more than 1 million people were on the brink of starvation in southern Sudan, a crisis captured in a Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of a vulture poised near a starving little girl. Today, people in what was known as the “famine triangle” say the situation has only deteriorated.

“Before, only the hunger was killing you,” said Lony Toang, who survived the earlier famine in Ayod County. “Now it’s worse because we have hunger and we’re killing people.”

As South Sudan enters its fifth year of civil war, 1.25 million people are facing starvation, according to the latest analysis by the United Nations and the government. The U.N. warns that if fighting continues famine will spread to several places across the country by early next year and almost half the population of 11 million will be severely food insecure.

During a visit this month to Ayod County, the AP spoke with some who were already hungry.

In a desperate attempt to feed his wife and five small children, who hadn’t eaten in days, Wol went in search of help. After six days of walking, eating fruit picked from trees, he reached government-held Ayod town, where he said soldiers wary of rebels ambushed him.

“When I got shot I was just thinking that I didn’t want to die before I got food for my family,” Wol said, staring despondently at the floor. “We’re locked in here and we can’t get out.”

Ayod is one of two counties in South Sudan currently in catastrophe, with 8,000 people experiencing extreme hunger.

During a visit to Ayod’s rebel-held headquarters in Jiech town, dozens of residents said that without food aid they would starve to death.

Remote, barren and sealed off from the rest of the nation, the county of roughly 160,000 people in Jonglei State has been devastated by fighting.

South Sudan’s army rejected people’s accounts of brutality as negative propaganda by the opposition, saying it is not government policy to prevent civilians from reaching aid.

“What sense does it make for the government forces to kill its own citizens looking for food?” said Col. Domic Chol Santo, the

army’s acting spokesman.

Yet across South Sudan allegations are rife of both the government and the rebels using food as a weapon of war.

On a visit last month to the Equatoria region, the AP spoke with people in Yei and Lainya towns who said the army was arbitrarily detaining, raping and killing civilians trying to cultivate their fields, amid suspicions that they were part of the opposition.

Lainya resident Mary Yata said four government soldiers in September tried to steal cassava when she was tending her fields.

“They said if I didn’t leave now they’d kill me,” she said. Days later she saw the soldiers selling her cassava at the market.

Advocacy groups are calling on the warring sides to stop holding South Sudan’s people hostage.

“The civilians are caught in a deadly circle and they’re certainly not being protected,” said Donatella Rovera, Amnesty International’s senior crisis response adviser.

With nowhere to go, Ayod residents said they will continue relying on handouts by the U.N.’s World Food Program.

At a food distribution last week, the desperation was palpable as 11,000 malnourished people poured in from the surrounding bush. Some had walked overnight to receive bags of sorghum, beans and cooking oil.

Although the WFP has increased its distributions in Ayod from every 90 days to every 60 days, aid workers on the ground say the food is enough for just one month.

“I saw old people collecting grains that fell on the ground out of the bags,” said Ewnetu Yohannes, team leader for Catholic Relief Services, the organization overseeing the distribution. “If WFP wasn’t here it’d be a catastrophe.”

Wiping breast milk from the cheek of her 10-month-old daughter, Jiech resident Elizabeth Nyakoda blamed the hunger on the years of fighting.

drugs,” the affidavit said.

Police later used a “computer program” to determine that the man’s home is is within 600 feet of Johns Hill Park. This led to him being jailed on preliminary charges of possession of controlled substance with intent to deliver within 1,000 feet of a park.

He was released from the Macon County Jail after posting $50,000 bond. He is due to be arraigned Jan. 23. treid@herald-review.com|(217) 421-7977

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Friday, December 22, 2017 | A7

Decatur Herald & Review

NATION&WORLD JERUSALEM

DIGEST

S ‌ peed-control tech could save lives Nearly 300 people have died in train crashes that could have been prevented if railroads across the U.S. implemented critical speed-control technology that federal safety investigators have been pushing for close to five decades, according to rail crash data obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.

But despite overwhelming evidence it could save lives, Congress extended the deadlines for railroads to implement positive train control for years.

All the while, new high-speed train routes continue to spring into operation without the technology, including the new route involved in Monday’s Amtrak crash south of Seattle that killed three people and one in Florida that’s expected to start service in the coming weeks.

Mattis visits troops at Guantanamo Bay GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis chose an unusual site Thursday to begin a pre-holiday tour of military bases, urging troops on this Navy base to set a good example for politically divided Americans and always be ready for war. He gave no hint about the future of Guantanamo Bay as a prison for terror suspects, and did not visit the detention center, which President Barack Obama tried unsuccessfully to close.

Mattis, the first defense secretary to visit the base since Donald H. Rumsfeld in January 2002, said the main goal of his trip was to offer holiday cheer and let the troops know their work is appreciated. He also made a point of defending the way prisoners have been treated at Guantanamo Bay, which has been called an infamous torture center. “I am confident that we’re doing the right thing here,” he said.

BRIEFLY FEMA PROBE: The Department of Homeland Security’s internal watchdog is investigating how a fledgling Florida company won more than $30 million in contracts for desperately needed disaster relief supplies in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.

Acting Inspector General John Kelly said in a letter addressed to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., on Wednesday that he would review the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s awards to Bronze Star LLC. MYANMAR: The United States on Thursday stepped back from a half-decade effort to forge closer relations with Myanmar, condemning a top general to a blacklist of shame for his role in atrocities against Rohingya Muslims. The new sanctions were the most serious U.S. response so far to what it calls “ethnic cleansing” in the western part of the Southeast Asian nation.

CHILDREN’S HEALTH: Congress has again failed to approve long-term funds for a popular program that provides health insurance for nearly 9 million low-income children, leaving each party blaming the other for Christmas-season gridlock and states scrambling to decide how to parcel out dwindling money.

TRUMP LAWSUIT: Restaurant workers, a hotel event booker and a watchdog group who say President Donald Trump has business conflicts that violate the Constitution cannot sue him, a New York judge ruled Thursday. U.S. District Judge George Daniels said it was too soon for the lawsuit to be considered by the courts.

PERU: President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski made a forceful plea to lawmakers Thursday, insisting he had no involvement in payments by Brazilian construction company Odebrecht to his private consulting firm and saying a rushed impeachment proceeding was a threat to Peru’s democracy.

CEASE-FIRE: South Sudan’s warring factions signed a new agreement Thursday to cease hostilities and protect civilians in the latest effort to calm a devastating civil war. The cease-fire is set to begin first thing Sunday morning, or Christmas Eve. M 1

— Associated Press

UN votes against US Trump’s recognition of Israel’s capital opposed

by General Assembly EDITH M. LEDERER

Associated Press‌

UNITED NATIONS — The ‌ U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Thursday to denounce President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, largely ignoring Trump’s threats to cut off aid to any country that went against him.

The nonbinding resolution declaring U.S. action on Jerusalem “null and void” was approved 128-9 — a victory for Palestinians, but not as big as they predicted.

Amid Washington’s threats, 35 of the 193 U.N. member nations abstained and 21 were absent.

The resolution reaffirmed what has been the United Nations’

stand on the divided holy city since 1967: that Jerusalem’s final status must be decided in direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

The Trump administration made it clear the vote would have no effect on its plan to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said afterward he completely rejects the “preposterous” resolution.

Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour called the vote a victory not only for the Palestinians but for the United Nations and international law, saying U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley “failed miserably” in persuading only seven countries aside from the U.S. and Israel to vote against the resolution.

“And they used unprecedented tactics, unheard of in the diplomatic work at the U.N., including

blackmail and extortion,” he said.

The United States and Israel had waged an intensive lobbying campaign against the measure, with Haley sending letters to over 180 countries warning that Washington would be taking names of those who voted against the U.S. Trump went further, threatening a funding cutoff: “Let them vote against us.

We’ll save a lot. We don’t care.”

But in the end, major U.S. aid recipients including Afghanistan, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania and South Africa supported the resolution.

Egypt received roughly $1.4 billion in U.S. aid this year, and Jordan about $1.3 billion.

The nine countries voting “no” were the U.S., Israel, Guatemala, Honduras, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, the Marshall Islands and Togo. Among the abstentions were Australia, Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic

and Mexico.

The absent countries included Kenya, which was the fifth-largest recipient of U.S. aid last year, Georgia and Ukraine, all of which have close U.S. ties.

The U.S. is scheduled to dispense $25.8 billion in foreign aid for 2018. Whether Trump follows through with his threat against those who voted “yes” remains to be seen.

After the vote, Haley tweeted a photo naming the 65 nations that voted no, abstained or were absent, and said: “We appreciate these countries for not falling to the irresponsible ways of the UN.” But within hours, the Trump administration appeared to be backing away from its funding threats. In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said cuts to countries that opposed the U.S. are not a foregone conclusion.

Catalan separatists regain slim majority Election giving new momentum to struggle for independence ARITZ PARRA AND CIARAN GILES

Associated Press‌ GREGORIO BORGIA, ASSOCIATED PRESS‌

POPE PRAYS FOR MERCIFUL JUDGEMENT FOR CARDINAL LAW Pope Francis presides over the funeral ceremony Thursday for late Cardinal Bernard Law, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. Law, who died Wednesday at age 86, resigned in disgrace as archbishop of Boston in 2002 after revelations that he covered up for dozens of priests who raped and sexually molested children, moving them to different parishes without telling parents or police. In a final blessing at Law’s funeral Mass, Francis blessed Law’s coffin with incense and holy water and recited the ritual prayer commending his soul to God. “May he be given a merciful judgment so that redeemed from death, freed from punishment, reconciled to the Father, carried in the arms of the Good Shepherd, he may deserve to enter fully into everlasting happiness in the company of the eternal King together with all the saints,” Francis said in Latin.

‘Obamacare’ surprise: nearly 9 million sign up Deadline surge boosts ACA recipients in 39 HealthCare.gov states RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR

Associated Press‌

‌WASHINGTON — In a remarkably strong show of consumer demand, nearly 9 million people signed up for “Obamacare” next year, as government numbers out Thursday proved predictions of its collapse wrong yet again.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said more than 8.8 million people have signed up in the 39 states served by the federal HealthCare.gov website.

That compares to 9.2 million last year in the same states — or 96 percent of the previous total.

The level exceeds what experts thought was possible after another year of political battles over the Affordable Care Act, not to mention market problems like rising premiums and insurer exits. On top of that, the

Trump administration cut enrollment season in half, slashed the ad budget, terminated major payments to insurers, and scaled back grants for consumer counselors.

“This level of enrollment is truly remarkable, especially given the headwinds faced by the program,” said Larry Levitt of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation.

President Donald Trump insistently predicted “Obamacare” would implode as he pursued unsuccessful efforts to repeal it in Congress. This week he incorrectly declared the GOP tax bill had essentially repealed it.

Despite all that, more than 1 million new customers signed up last week, ahead of a Dec. 15 deadline for HealthCare.gov.

That’s a sign of solid interest in the program, which offers subsidized private health insurance to people who don’t have access to job-based coverage.

It’s possible that final HealthCare.gov numbers could end up somewhat higher than reported Thursday, partly because late

sign-ups in the Midwest and the West have yet to be added in.

The nationwide enrollment total won’t be known for weeks, since some states running their own health insurance markets — or exchanges — continue signing up customers through January.

Total national enrollment could wind up near last year’s final number of 12.2 million.

“We know anecdotally that many state exchanges are running ahead of last year, (and) we could actually make up the national enrollment deficit with higher state-run exchange enrollment,” said Chris Sloan of the consulting firm Avalere Health.

In an interview Thursday with The Associated Press, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, indicated he’s skeptical at best about revisiting botched efforts to dismantle the health care law.

Bipartisan legislation to shore up insurance markets is pending before the Senate, but its fate is also uncertain.

‌BARCELONA, Spain — Catalonia’s secessionist parties won enough votes Thursday to regain a slim majority in the regional parliament and give new momentum to their political struggle for independence from Spain.

It was hardly an emphatic victory, however, as the separatists lost support compared to the previous vote in 2015, and a pro-unity party for the first time became the biggest single bloc in the Catalan parliament.

The result left more questions than answers about what’s next for Catalonia, where a long-standing push for independence escalated to a full-on clash with the Spanish government two months ago.

It also was a blow to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who as a result of the separatists’ defiance ousted the Catalan Cabinet and called the early election hoping to keep them out of power.

Instead, the election’s outcome favored fugitive former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, who campaigned from Belgium where he is evading a probe into the attempt to split from Spain. The investigation could lead to charges of rebellion and sedition that carry penalties of decades in prison.

Puigdemont, who got the most votes of any separatist candidate, greeted the results with delight and called them a rebuke to Spain’s central government.

“The Spanish state has been defeated,” Puigdemont said. “Mariano Rajoy has received a slap in the face from Catalonia.”

In a televised appearance from Brussels, the 54 year-old former journalist didn’t make clear if he would try to return home, where an arrest warrant awaits him.

The other main winner was Ines Arrimadas, the leading unionist candidate. Scoring 25 percent of the votes, her pro-business Ciutadans (Citizens) party won 37 seats, which will be the biggest single bloc in the 135-seat regional assembly.

AFGHANISTAN

Pence to Ghani: US ‘here to see this through’

KEN THOMAS

Associated Press‌

‌KABUL, Afghanistan — Vice President Mike Pence told Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on a secret visit to Afghanistan on Thursday that the U.S. is “here to see this through” as they discussed a newly announced U.S. strategy to break the stalemate in America’s longest war and consulted on upcoming parliamentary elections.

Pence’s surprise pre-Christmas visit was the first to the war-torn

country by either Trump or the vice president, and it came as the Trump administration charts a pathway for ending the 16-year war in Afghanistan.

“We’re here to see this through,” Pence told Ghani and Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah at the presidential palace in Kabul, arriving after a helicopter ride through smoky, dark skies surrounding Afghanistan’s capital.

Later, at a rally-style event

at Bagram Air Base, Pence told hundreds of U.S. troops: “I believe victory is closer than ever before.”

“It’s because of all of you that we’re safe. It’s because of you that we’re free. It’s because of you that freedom has a future in Afghanistan and America and all across the wider world,” Pence said, his voice raspy from a cold.

Pence also received briefings from military leaders, including Gen. John Nicholson, the top U.S.

commander in Afghanistan.

Pence’s trip was focused on a strategy Trump announced in August to “fight to win” in Afghanistan by attacking enemies, routing al-Qaida and preventing terrorist attacks against Americans. The president has urged the U.S. to shift away from a “time-based” approach to the protracted conflict by linking U.S. assistance to results and cooperation from the Afghan government, Pakistan and other partners.

Senator: Takedown of nominee just his job KEVIN FREKING

Associated Press‌

WASHINGTON — The ‌ Republican senator who became an Internet sensation with his rapid-fire takedown of President Donald Trump’s judicial nominee received an unexpected call — from the president.

“He said, ‘look, Kennedy, do your job. I’m not upset or angry. I’ll never criticize you for doing what you think is right,’” recalled freshman Sen. John Kennedy of last week’s phone conversation.

The public humiliation of Matthew Petersen, tapped

by Trump to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, came last Wednesday at the hands of a 66-year-old Louisiana attorney with a penchant for folksy utterances. Kennedy grilled Petersen at a Senate confirmation hearing where the nominee struggled to answer basic legal questions.

The clip from the hearing, posted by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., generated more than 8.5 million views on Twitter and dominated television coverage.

Within days, Petersen had withdrawn his nomination.

“I didn’t enjoy doing what I had to do,” Kennedy said in an interview. “Our job on Judiciary is to catch any mistakes that might have been made, and that’s what I did.”

He described the situation in terms the average American could understand.

“Just because you’ve seen ‘My Cousin Vinny’ doesn’t qualify you to be a federal judge,” Kennedy said in an interview earlier this week with New Orleans station WWL-TV. Kennedy has a stellar academic pedigree that stands in contrast to the image of a Southern country lawyer. He graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University and was Phi Beta Kappa before getting his law degree from the University of Virginia. Kennedy received a Bachelor of Civil Law from Oxford University, where he graduated with first-class honors.

Earlier this year, Kennedy angered the parents of actress Lindsay Lohan, remarking on an IRS contract for Equifax after a massive security breach: “You realize, to many Americans right now, that looks like we’re giving Lindsay Lohan the keys to the mini-bar.”

Originally a Democrat, Kennedy served 17 years as Louisiana state treasurer and made his name in state politics clashing with governors even if he was on the same political team.

After he won his Senate seat in December 2016, prevailing in a runoff to fill Republican David Vitter’s seat, Kennedy sought to win over Louisianans of both parties.

“To a bear, we all taste like chicken,” he quipped.

The problems for three of Trump’s judicial nominees, including Petersen, stand in stark contrast to the president’s overwhelming success.

The Republican-led Senate has confirmed 19 of Trump’s judicial nominees, including Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and a record 12 appellate court judges.

Kennedy has been a rare Republican willing to criticize a few of Trump’s nominees.

Still, he has voted against only one nominee on the Senate floor.

“I think they’re batting a pretty good batting average,” he said of the White House’s nominees.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, a member of the Judiciary Committee, said Kennedy’s tough questioning of Petersen should be a teachable moment for the White House.

“I think that ought to hopefully caution the White House not to be sending over the nominees who don’t have the experience they need in order to be U.S. judges,” Cornyn said.

A8 | Friday, December 22, 2017

Decatur Herald & Review

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SPORTS

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2017

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herald-review.com/sports

|

SECTION B

McAtee coach of the year for a 7th time Braves won first volleyball sectional title

Mount Zion’s head coach Jay McAtee celebrates with his daughter Karlee McAtee after the winning the class 3A sectional finals against Sacred Heart-Griffin.

Online gallery at heraldreview.com/ gallery

MATTHEW FLATEN

Herald & Review

MOUNT ZION — Mount Zion volleyball coach Jay McAtee knows a thing or two about good teams.

McAtee has coached teams to five sectional titles. And while coaching at St. Teresa, McAtee took two teams to Redbird Arena for the state tournament.

Even so, his 2017 Mount Zion team stood out.

“Going into the season we wondered who would step up and everybody did,” McAtee said. “Statistically, to be one

CLAY JACKSON, HERALD & REVIEW

Underwood looks back before looking to Mizzou H&R Executive Sports Editor

M 1

Please see ILLINI, Page B3

It’s Herald & Review Fall Awards Week.

Be sure to visit herald-review.com/ sports/high-school for your last chance to vote for your favorite to win the Area and Macon County football players of the year. Here’s the schedule.

awards

Monday, Dec. 18: Area cross country awards

Saturday, Dec. 23: Area football awards

Tuesday, Dec. 19: Area boys soccer

Thursday, Dec. 21: Area volleyball awards Friday, Dec. 22: Macon County volleyball awards Sunday, Dec. 24: Macon County football awards

of the top five offensive teams in the I’ve ever coached in 17 years.” state in all the classes is great. From a The Braves finished 35-5 and took coaching standpoint you envision what home the school’s first volleyball secyou want a team to look like and then by tional title, earning McAtee the Herald the end of the season, when they were clicking, it was as good a volleyball as Please see MCATEE, Page B5

COOL CUSTOMER

ALL-MACON COUNTY VOLLEYBALL

MARK TUPPER

CHAMPAIGN – Ideally, Brad Underwood would like to have his team concentrating on Saturday night’s Braggin’ Rights showdown with Missouri.

Until Thursday, though, other matters have taken priority.

For one, it’s time for semester exams.

For another, he hasn’t let his team look ahead without first looking back to last Saturday, insisting considerable time be spent cleaning up some of the mistakes made in the 74-69 loss to New Mexico State.

Once those matters are taken care of, Missouri will take center stage.

“This time of year is very challenging for our student-athletes,” Underwood said Thursday. “We take finals very seriously. We’re pretty sensitive to that.”

Mark Alstork, who is in a graduate program, was on schedule to be the last player to wrap up finals on Thursday night.

As for the matter of the New Mexico State game, Underwood said he’s had the team watch the game tape over and over again, spending much of their time together revisiting costly mistakes. And not just at the end of the game, when another famously unsuccessful in-bounds pass went awry and gave New Mexico State a pathway to victory.

“The first half of that game was the poorest half we’ve played all year,” Underwood said. “I filled out four-anda-half pages of defensive notes with lapses and mistakes. I watched that film five times trying to show them a lot of those things.

“I’ve probably said it 100,000 times this year, but quiet teams lose. When you don’t communicate on the floor, mistakes happen. The way we play, we have to communicate. And the other night, for whatever reason, we didn’t communicate and it led to breakdowns.”

Underwood said the quest to establish dependable on-court leadership continues.

“Leading is hard,” he said. “I watched the Wofford-North Carolina game (Wednesday) night. I’ve known (Wofford coach) Mike Young a long time and they went in with eight or nine freshmen and sophomores and beat the 5th-ranked team in the country on their floor.

“What he said was quite relevant to what I want. He said, ‘We have a bunch of high character kids and all they care about is winning and being the best teammate they can be.’

“That fits us. It’s what I’m preaching. It’s got to be about winning. You can’t feel bad about not making shots.

It’s about accountability. I don’t even look at stat sheets. It’s about the way the game is played.”

Underwood said he has one player who is trying hard to be that leader.

“Te’Jon Lucas is trying like crazy,” he said. “Yet it can’t be selective. When someone blows a ball screen coverage, you have the right to get on them.

“Mark Smith is going to be that guy.

But it has to be all the time, not just when you feel right. Trent Frazier has some of that charisma. But they are still freshmen and they’re still trying to figure out how to write a 15-page paper in finals week and play basketball. It’s the first time they’ve been through it.”

But as the semester ends, and as the Braggin’ Rights game draws near, Underwood has told Trent Frazier, Mark Smith and Da’Monte Williams it’s time to act like upperclassmen in clutch moments.

Fall Awards

Mason brings balance to the Trojans

MATTHEW FLATEN

Herald & Review

MAROA — While it’s the hitters who grab the headlines, it’s the setters who lead the team.

They are the quarterbacks.

Carly Mason, senior setter for Maroa-Forsyth, is the type of player every volleyball coach wants as their setter — unselfish, exuberant and a steady, guiding hand that can calm a team during a rough patch.

Mason was a truly balanced player and the statistics don’t lie. She recorded 733 assists, 247 digs and 123 kills this season, and also added 56 aces and 35 blocks, earning her the Herald & Review County Volleyball Player of the Year.

“Carly’s style is very calm and not very showy,” Maroa-Forsyth coach and Carly’s mother Sarah Mason said.

“She gets really excited and she’s got a big smile, but she can be that calm presence when things are not necessarily going well.

“As a setter, she doesn’t really get excited for herself. Nobody really pays attention that much to the setter even though they are the ones that kind of run everything.”

Carly said she’s well-aware of the setters’ importance to the team.

“Setters are the quarterback of the team and so I looked at my position as I need to put the hitters in the best position possible,” Carly said. “I need to make my passers look good. Setters need to lead the court with the energy so I tried to be the cool, calm, collected person to bring everybody back together whenever it was getting kind of crazy.”

While the Trojans didn’t reach the state tournament this year, their success included beating rival Mount Zion twice and topping eventual Class 2A champion Champaign St. Thomas More.

“We had high hopes of getting the state championship but the Please see MASON, Page B5

 Inside: See Page B5 for the Herald & Review All-Macon County Volleyball Team.

2017 TOP 10 SPORTS STORIES

Schlechte dominates Durand:

No. 10 moment goes to Windsor Stewardson/Strasburg junior

JOEY WAGNER The Herald & Herald & Review Review is countingEditor’s down note: The Herald & Review the top 10 stories sports staff is counting down the top of 2017.

Visit of 2017. stories herald-review.com When MeganTop Schlechte local was in the to see more in our front row she was trouble stories of ’17for Durand. series. Share your thoughtsWhen on our Megan Schlechte was in the backatrow she was trouble for Durand. selections Megan Schlechte was simply trouble herald-review.com/letters.

out of 10 NEWS

for Durand.

The Windsor Stewardson/Strasburg junior outside hitter dominated in the Class 1A volleyball semifinals against Durand at Redbird Arena on Nov. 10.

She set a state record for kills in a state tournament match with 29 and came up with big play after big play when the Hatchets needed her the most, in the No. 10 story of the Herald & Review sports year.

Schlechte was a force on offense in her second consecutive state tournament appearance. W/SS didn’t win state but it came up with a runner-up trophy in large part because of Schlechte’s performance.

It wasn’t just offense. Schlechte was all over the court, tallying 15 digs to go along with her kills.

TheHerald Herald& The & Review Review is is countingdown down counting thetop top10 10stories stories the of 2017. Visit of 2017. Visit herald-review. herald-review.com com to see more Top local to in our insee ourmore series. stories of ’17 series.

Share your Share your thoughts thoughtson onour our selections selectionsat at herald-review.com/letters. herald-review.com/letters.

10 # out of 10 SPORTS

Schlechte came up with the final four Hatchets kills in the first set, giving W/ SS all the momentum it needed in a second set, which Durand won.

But it wasn’t all the hard-hitting junior. Mackenzi Tabbert set her up with a record 48 kills in a Class 1A state tournament match.

Schlechte simply did the rest, all while battling a foot injury.

So it was only fitting that she came up with the final kill in the third set to send the Hatchets to the state championship match, in which she recorded six kills in a two-set loss to Payson Seymour. jwagner@herald-review.com | (217) 421-6970

JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW

Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg’s Megan Schlechte spikes as Durand’s Kaite Asche, left, and Marissa Kelsey go up for a block attempt during the class 1A state semifinal at Redbird Arena, Friday November 10.

SPORTS

B2 | Friday, December 22, 2017

ON TV TODAY BASKETBALL‌ Los Angeles Clippers at Houston Rockets. (Live) 7 p.m. (ESPN) (Same-day Tape) 3 a.m. (ESPN2) Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors. (Live 9:30 p.m. (ESPN) (Same-day Tape) 1 a.m. (ESPN2) MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL‌ Western Illinois at Butler. (Taped) 10 a.m. (FSMW) Texas-Rio Grande Valley at Oklahoma State. (Live) Noon (FSMW) Abilene Christian at Texas Tech. (Live) 2 p.m. (FSMW) Southeast Missouri State at St. Louis. (Live) 6 p.m. (FSMW) Northwestern at Oklahoma. (Live) (CC) 6 p.m. (ESPN2) Rider at Penn State. (Live) (CC) 6 p.m. (BIGTEN) Colorado vs Iowa. (Live) (CC) 8 p.m. (BIGTEN) Texas vs Alabama. (Live) (CC) 8 p.m. (ESPN2) Loyola-Chicago at Missouri State. (Live) 8 p.m. (FSMW) 8 p.m.

(NBCSCH) FOOTBALL‌ Bahamas Bowl — Alabama-Birmingham vs Ohio. (Live) (CC) 11:30 a.m. (ESPN) Famous Idaho Potato Bowl — Central Michigan vs Wyoming. (Live) (CC) 3 p.m. (ESPN) MISCELLANEOUS‌ ELEAGUE The ELeague Cup: Rocket League Finals. Documenting ``Rocket League’’’s most accomplished players as they compete at the highest level. (Taped) (CC) 11 p.m. (TBS)

OFF THE WIRE NFL‌

Don’t draw the card ‌ FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys weren’t the first, but they are probably the last team to get a first down determined by a piece of paper pulled from a referee’s pocket.

That happened on the game-winning drive in last Sunday’s 20-17 victory over the Oakland Raiders.

Now, Al Riveron, the NFL’s senior vice president of officiating, is advising referees to avoid using paper to determine any on-field rulings as referee Gene Steratore did to reaffirm a crucial first down for the Cowboys against the Raiders.

“When he did bring out the piece of paper, that was very, very unusual,” Riveron said on a conference call with reporters Thursday. “The last time I saw it done was about four or five years ago, also in an NFL game, and that’s not the norm. Gene made the decision strictly on visual affirmation that the ball made the line to gain.

“I would advise them not to use them again. I’ve already done that.”

Miller progressing‌ LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Chicago Bears tight end Zach Miller continues to take steps in his recovery from an injury that nearly cost him his left leg.

Miller posted video of himself walking on his own on social media over the weekend. He says he is trying to build strength around the knee before he has one final operation and taking a few steps “was big.”

Miller spoke Thursday after being presented the “Good Guy” award by the Chicago chapter of the Professional Football Writers of America for his professionalism.

He has undergone eight surgeries since suffering a gruesome injury at New Orleans in late October. Miller tore an artery while dislocating his knee trying to make a touchdown catch.

No pressure‌ CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The NFL made it clear Thursday it isn’t forcing Panthers owner Jerry Richardson to sell the team while he is under investigation for sexual and racial misconduct in the workplace.

NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart said during a conference call that “there was no pressure from the league on Mr. Richardson” to sell his team . Lockhart said Richardson “came to the conclusion over that weekend that putting his team up for sale was what he wanted to do. We found out about it shortly before the announcement came out.”

The NFL plans to hire an outside counsel to conduct the Richardson investigation, but a final decision has not been made on which firm.

Lockhart said the league didn’t know about the allegations against Richardson until Friday, the same day the Panthers put out a stunning news release first announcing its own investigation of Richardson’s alleged workplace misconduct. That was followed on Sunday by a Sports Illustrated report that detailed Richardson’s alleged misconduct.

Lockhart said the NFL is expecting full cooperation from the Panthers.

MLB‌

Adding arms‌ MILWAUKEE — The Brewers have boosted their starting rotation depth, finalizing contracts with free agent righthanders Jhoulys Chacin and Yovani Gallardo.

Chacin’s $15.5 million, two-year deal and Gallardo’s $2 million, one-year agreement were finalized by Milwaukee on Thursday.

Chacin, who turns 30 in January, went 13-10 with a 3.89 ERA in 32 starts last season for San Diego.

“I have been really working hard to get to the point where I can pitch and don’t think about anything (except) making outs, making my pitches,” Chacin said. “I was able to do that — just go out and have fun pitching.”

He gets a $1.5 million signing bonus payable within 45 days of the contract’s approval by the commissioner’s office and salaries of $8 million next year and $6 million in 2019.

Gallardo, 32 in February, was selected by Milwaukee in the second round of the 2004 amateur draft and was 89-64 with a 3.69 ERA in eight seasons with the Brewers through 2014. He pitched for Texas the following year, Baltimore in 2016 and Seattle last season, going 5-10 with a 5.72 ERA.

TO REACH US To report results, email hrsports@herald-review.com, fax

(217) 421-7965, or call (217) 421-6979 or (800) 453-3639.

For Sports Editor Justin Conn (@jconnHR on Twitter), call

(217) 421-7909 or email jconn@herald-review.com.

For Executive Sports Editor Mark Tupper (@MarkTupper

on Twitter), call (217) 421-7983 or email mtupper@herald-review.com.

For Staff Writer Joey Wagner (@mrwagner25 on Twitter), call (217) 421-6970 or email jwagner@herald-review.com.

For Staff Writer Matthew Flaten (@MattFlaten on Twitter), call (217) 421-6968 or email mflaten@herald-review. com.

Readers who think an error has been published are encouraged to call the Herald & Review newsroom at (217) 421-6979.

15. TCU (11-0) did not play. Next: vs. William & Mary, Friday.

16. Purdue (12-2) beat Tennessee State 97-48. Next: vs.

N ‌ BA Lipscomb, Saturday, Dec. 30.

EASTERN CONFERENCE 17. Oklahoma (9-1) did not play. Next: at Northwestern, Atlantic Division Friday.

W L Pct GB‌ 18. Arizona (9-3) vs. UConn. Next: vs. No. 3 Arizona Boston 26 9 .743 — State, Saturday, Dec. 30.

Toronto 22 8 .733 1½ 18. Baylor (10-2) did not play. Next: at No. 21 Texas Tech, New York 17 14 .548 7 Friday, Dec. 29.

Philadelphia 14 17 .452 10 Brooklyn 11 19 .367 12½ 20. Cincinnati (11-2) beat Cleveland State 81-62. Next: vs. Memphis, Sunday, Dec. 31.

Southeast Division 21. Tennessee (8-2) did not play. Next: at Wake Forest,

W L Pct GB‌ Washington 17 14 .548 — Saturday.

Miami 16 15 .516 1 21. Texas Tech (10-1) did not play. Next: vs. Abilene Charlotte 11 20 .355 6 Christian, Friday.

Orlando 11 21 .344 6½ 23. Seton Hall (10-2) did not play. Next: vs. Manhattan, Atlanta 7 24 .226 10 Saturday.

Central Division 24. Florida State (11-1) beat Southern Miss. 98-45. Next:

W L Pct GB‌ at No. 4 Duke, Saturday, Dec. 30.

Cleveland 24 9 .727 — 25. Creighton (10-2) did not play. Next: vs. No. 23 Seton Indiana 18 14 .563 5½ Hall, Thursday, Dec. 28.

Milwaukee 16 13 .552 6 Scores Detroit 17 14 .548 6 EAST Chicago 10 21 .323 13 Fordham 79, Florida A&M 69 WESTERN CONFERENCE Harvard 74, Boston U. 63 Southwest Division Lipscomb 73, Navy 64

W L Pct GB‌ Houston 25 5 .833 — Loyola (Md.) 66, Drexel 62 San Antonio 22 10 .688 4 Rhode Island 80, Iona 74 New Orleans 15 16 .484 10½ St. Francis (Pa.) 84, Lehigh 70 Memphis 9 22 .290 16½ Vermont 80, Quinnipiac 73 Dallas 9 23 .281 17 SOUTH Northwest Division Charleston Southern 102, Johnson & Wales (NC) 58

W L Pct GB‌ Chattanooga 70, Jacksonville St. 67 Minnesota 19 13 .594 — East Carolina 76, Grambling St. 68 Portland 16 15 .516 2½ Florida St. 98, Southern Miss. 45 Oklahoma City 16 15 .516 2½ Denver 16 15 .516 2½ Kennesaw St. 71, Samford 66 Utah 14 18 .438 5 Louisiana Tech 74, Alabama St. 62 Maryland 75, Fairleigh Dickinson 50 Pacific Division Presbyterian 77, Piedmont 60

W L Pct GB‌ Golden State 25 6 .806 — South Florida 78, Charlotte 76 L.A. Clippers 12 18 .400 12½ Troy 80, Milligan 67 L.A. Lakers 11 18 .379 13 Tulane 77, South Alabama 73 Sacramento 11 20 .355 14 UCF 89, SC State 64 Phoenix 11 22 .333 15 UNC-Greensboro 85, Southeastern 67 Wednesday’s Games MIDWEST Toronto 129, Charlotte 111 Bowling Green 81, Green Bay 78, OT Indiana 105, Atlanta 95 Butler 107, W. Illinois 46 Miami 90, Boston 89 Cincinnati 81, Cleveland St. 62 Sacramento 104, Brooklyn 99 E. Illinois 74, St. Francis (IL) 38 Chicago 112, Orlando 94 Fort Wayne 75, Liberty 64 L.A. Lakers 122, Houston 116 Kent St. 79, Oregon St. 78 Oklahoma City 107, Utah 79 Marquette 92, American U. 51 Dallas 110, Detroit 93 Michigan St. 102, Long Beach St. 60 Minnesota 112, Denver 104 Minnesota 77, Oral Roberts 63 San Antonio 93, Portland 91 N. Dakota St. 100, UNC-Wilmington 63 Golden State 97, Memphis 84 N. Illinois 69, Ill.-Chicago 63 L.A. Clippers 108, Phoenix 95 Notre Dame 86, SE Louisiana 50 Thursday’s Games Purdue 97, Tennessee St. 48 Cleveland 115, Chicago 112 SOUTHWEST Toronto 114, Philadelphia 109 Stephen F. Austin 116, Arlington Baptist 66 New York 102, Boston 93 Texas-Arlington 77, Cal Poly 56 Memphis at Phoenix, late FAR WEST San Antonio at Utah, late Grand Canyon 86, Longwood 56 Today’s Games ‌College women New Orleans at Orlando, 6 p.m.

Top 25 How They Fared New York at Detroit, 6 p.m.

Thursday Washington at Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m.

1. UConn (9-0) did not play. Next: vs. Duquesne, Friday.

Atlanta at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.

2. Notre Dame (11-1) did not play. Next: vs. Syracuse, Charlotte at Milwaukee, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 28.

Dallas at Miami, 7 p.m.

3. Louisville (14-0) did not play. Next: at Georgia Tech, L.A. Clippers at Houston, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 28.

Denver at Portland, 9 p.m.

4. South Carolina (11-1) beat Temple 87-60. Next: vs. No. L.A. Lakers at Golden State, 9:30 p.m.

19 Texas A&M, Sunday, Dec. 31.

Saturday’s Games 5. Mississippi State (13-0) beat Syracuse 76-65. Next: Philadelphia at Toronto, 4 p.m. vs. MVSU, Thursday.

Brooklyn at Indiana, 6 p.m.

6. Baylor (10-1) did not play. Next: at Kansas State, Milwaukee at Charlotte, 6 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 28.

Orlando at Washington, 6 p.m.

7. Tennessee (11-0) at No. 18 Stanford. Next: at Kentucky, Chicago at Boston, 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 31.

Dallas at Atlanta, 6:30 p.m.

8. Texas (9-1) did not play. Next: at Oklahoma, Thursday, L.A. Clippers at Memphis, 7 p.m.

Dec. 28.

New Orleans at Miami, 7 p.m.

9. West Virginia (12-0) beat Morehead State 66-56. Next: Oklahoma City at Utah, 7 p.m. at TCU, Thursday, Dec. 28.

Denver at Golden State, 7:30 p.m.

10. Oregon (10-2) beat No. 19 Texas A&M 84-62. Next: Minnesota at Phoenix, 8 p.m. vs. Hawaii, Friday.

Portland at L.A. Lakers, 8:30 p.m.

11. UCLA (9-2) did not play. Next: at No. 18 Stanford, San Antonio at Sacramento, 9 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 29.

Sunday’s Games 12. Ohio State (11-2) did not play. Next: at Nebraska, No games scheduled.

Thursday, Dec. 28.

Monday’s Games 13. Florida State (11-1) beat Creighton 92-82. Next: vs.

Philadelphia at New York, 11 a.m.

Jacksonville, Thursday.

Cleveland at Golden State, 2 p.m.

14. Duke (10-2) beat Wyoming 63-40. Next: vs. Liberty, Washington at Boston, 4:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 29.

Houston at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.

15. Maryland (11-2) did not play. Next: vs. Illinois, Minnesota at L.A. Lakers, 9:30 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 28.

Thursday’s Game 16. Missouri (11-1) did not play. Next: vs. Illinois, Friday.

CHICAGO (112)‌ Valentine 7-10 0-0 18, Markkanen 11-17 2-2 25, Lopez 17. Oregon State (9-2) did not play. Next: vs. Washington, 7-11 0-0 14, Dunn 5-11 0-0 10, Holiday 3-7 0-0 8, Zipser Friday, Dec. 29.

2-4 0-0 5, Portis 3-7 0-0 6, Mirotic 5-9 2-4 15, Grant 3-4 18. Stanford (6-5) vs. No. 7 Tennessee. Next: vs. No. 11 UCLA, Friday, Dec. 29.

2-2 9, Nwaba 1-5 0-0 2. Totals 47-85 6-8 112.&lt 19. Texas A&M (10-3) lost to No. 10 Oregon 84-62. Next: CLEVELAND (115)‌ James 12-23 8-8 34, Frye 1-2 0-0 2, Love 9-15 5-5 27, vs. SMU, Thursday, Dec. 28.

Calderon 3-5 0-0 8, Crowder 2-6 0-0 4, Osman 0-2 0-2 20. Villanova (10-0) did not play. Next: at Creighton, 0, Green 3-6 4-4 10, Thompson 2-4 1-2 5, Korver 5-7 1-1 Thursday, Dec. 28.

15, Wade 5-12 0-0 10, Smith 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 42-82 19-22 21. Green Bay (10-1) did not play. Next: at Wright State, Thursday, Dec. 28.

115.&lt Chicago 27 29 23 33 — 112 22. South Florida (10-3) lost to Michigan State 83-73.

Cleveland 29 29 24 33 — 115 Next: vs. Tulane, Sunday, Dec. 31.

3-Point Goals—Chicago 12-31 (Valentine 4-7, Mirotic 3-6, 23. Michigan (11-2) beat Delaware State 105-36. Next: Holiday 2-5, Grant 1-1, Zipser 1-3, Markkanen 1-4, Dunn vs. Penn State, Thursday.

0-2, Nwaba 0-3), Cleveland 12-29 (Korver 4-6, Love 4-8, 24. California (9-2) beat Kentucky 62-52. Next: vs.

Calderon 2-4, James 2-5, Frye 0-1, Osman 0-1, Green 0-1, Southern Cal, Friday, Dec. 29.

Wade 0-3). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Chicago 35 25. Iowa (12-1) beat Drake 79-66. Next: at Wisconsin, (Holiday 7), Cleveland 35 (Love 7). Assists—Chicago 34 Thursday, Dec. 28.

(Dunn 14), Cleveland 25 (James 9). Total Fouls—Chicago Scores 19, Cleveland 14. A—20,562 (20,562).

EAST Binghamton 76, Rider 54 Buffalo 73, St. John’s 72 Drexel 61, Cornell 39 ‌College men Fairleigh Dickinson 69, St. Peter’s 59 Top 25 How they fared 1. Villanova (11-0) did not play. Next: vs. Hofstra, Friday. Hartford 71, Siena 62 2. Michigan State (12-1) beat Long Beach State 102-60. Hofstra 71, St. Bonaventure 68 Indiana 72, Yale 68 Next: vs. Cleveland State, Friday, Dec. 29.

3. Arizona State (11-0) did not play. Next: vs. Pacific, Marist 88, UMass 60 Md.-Eastern Shore 66, UMBC 43 Friday.

4. Duke (12-1) did not play. Next: vs. No. 24 Florida State, Providence 63, Boston College 55 Seton Hall 80, Fairfield 61 Saturday, Dec. 30.

5. North Carolina (10-2) did not play. Next: vs. Ohio South Carolina 87, Temple 60 Towson 70, Ark.-Pine Bluff 44 State, Saturday.

Vermont 62, CCSU 48 6. Miami (9-0) did not play. Next: at Hawaii, Friday.

7. Kentucky (9-1) did not play. Next: vs. UCLA, Saturday. West Virginia 66, Morehead St. 56 SOUTH 8. Texas A&M (10-1) vs. Buffalo, late. Next: at Alabama, Alabama A&M 76, SE Louisiana 74 Saturday, Dec. 30.

Alabama St. 61, Mobile 50 9. Xavier (11-1) did not play. Next: at Northern Iowa, Belmont 111, Vanderbilt 74 Friday.

10. West Virginia (10-1) did not play. Next: vs. Fordham, Bethune-Cookman 63, Richmond 50 California 62, Kentucky 52 Saturday.

11. Wichita State (9-2) did not play. Next: vs. Florida Campbell 58, NC Central 51 Clemson 67, FIU 65 Gulf Coast, Friday.

12. Gonzaga (10-2) at San Diego State, late. Next: vs. Davidson 68, Charlotte 66 Dayton 65, MVSU 46 Pacific, Thursday.

13. Virginia (10-1) did not play. Next: vs. Hampton, Duke 63, Wyoming 40 Florida 71, Saint Joseph’s 51 Friday.

14. Kansas (9-2) vs. Stanford. Next: at Texas, Friday, Florida Gulf Coast 66, SIU-Edwardsville 49 Georgetown 71, VCU 59 Dec. 29.

BASKETBALL

Decatur Herald & Review Georgia 87, Wright St. 71 Georgia Tech 63, Southern Miss. 44 James Madison 67, Bryant 36 Lipscomb 61, Tennessee Tech 57 Louisiana Tech 85, Houston Baptist 62 Marshall 71, Tennessee St. 65 Memphis 57, Grambling St. 48 Mercer 70, Howard 44 Mississippi St. 76, Syracuse 65 New Orleans 72, Texas Southern 69 Norfolk St. 80, William & Mary 74 Oakland 80, Old Dominion 59 Princeton 59, Chattanooga 49 Radford 71, Abilene Christian 65 SC State 86, Johnson & Wales (NC) 40 Stetson 61, Texas State 54 Stony Brook 68, Georgia Southern 49 Tulane 106, Troy 75 UAB 78, South Alabama 66 UNC-Asheville 69, Appalachian St. 60 UNC-Greensboro 64, Presbyterian 57 UNC-Wilmington 74, Georgia St. 62 UTEP 46, Samford 33 Virginia 69, Manhattan 47 Wake Forest 77, Coll. of Charleston 40 MIDWEST Albany (NY) 97, N. Illinois 91 Ball St. 93, W. Kentucky 81 Butler 60, Indiana St. 51 Cent. Arkansas 68, N. Dakota St. 45 Cincinnati 75, Bowling Green 51 Florida St. 92, Creighton 82 Harvard 76, Akron 63 Illinois St. 65, Northeastern 55 Iowa 79, Drake 66 Iowa St. 75, Nicholls 47 Miami (Ohio) 73, Florida A&M 33 Michigan 105, Delaware St. 36 Milwaukee 84, Chicago St. 59 N. Iowa 72, Kansas St. 71 Quinnipiac 84, Cent. Michigan 70 South Dakota 76, North Dakota 71 Toledo 81, Detroit 64 SOUTHWEST Oklahoma St. 112, Louisiana-Monroe 58 Oregon 84, Texas A&M 62 Rice 88, Prairie View 68 Texas Tech 80, Incarnate Word 54 Texas-Arlington 56, San Francisco 54 FAR WEST Arizona St. 89, Arkansas 43 Boise St. 87, St. Francis (Pa.) 59 Colorado St. 60, Morgan St. 44 Grand Canyon 39, Santa Clara 38 Idaho 84, Eastern Oregon 70 New Mexico St. 72, Long Beach St. 63 Utah 71, Oral Roberts 50

FOOTBALL ‌N FL

AMERICAN CONFERENCE East

y-New England Buffalo Miami N.Y. Jets

‌Saturday, Dec. 16

Glendale, Ariz.

Washington (10-2) vs. Penn State (10-2), 3 p.m. (ESPN)

‌Celebration Bowl

‌Orange Bowl

At Atlanta NC A&T 21, Grambling State 14

Miami Gardens, Fla. Wisconsin (12-1) vs. Miami (10-2), 7 p.m. (ESPN)

‌New Orleans Bowl

‌Monday, Jan. 1

Troy 50, North Texas 30

‌Outback Bowl

‌Cure Bowl

Tampa, Fla. Michigan (8-4) vs. South Carolina (8-4), 11 a.m. (ESPN2)

Orlando, Fla. Georgia State 27, Western Kentucky 17

‌Peach Bowl

‌Las Vegas Bowl

Atlanta UCF (12-0) vs. Auburn (10-3), 11:30 a.m. (ESPN)

Boise State 38, Oregon 28

‌New Mexico Bowl

‌Citrus Bowl

Albuquerque Marshall 31, Colorado State 28

Orlando, Fla. Notre Dame (9-3) vs. LSU (9-3), noon (ABC)

‌Camellia Bowl

‌Rose Bowl (CFP Semifinal)

Montgomery, Ala. Middle Tennessee 35, Arkansas State 30

Pasadena, Calif.

Oklahoma (12-1) vs. Georgia (12-1), 4:10 p.m. (ESPN)

‌Tuesday, Dec. 19

‌Sugar Bowl (CFP Semifinal)

‌Boca Raton (Fla.) Bowl

New Orleans Clemson (12-1) vs. Alabama (11-1), 7:45 p.m. (ESPN)

FAU 50, Akron 3

‌Wednesday, Dec. 20

‌Monday, Jan. 8

‌Frisco (Texas) Bowl

‌College Football Championship Atlanta Rose Bowl winner vs. Sugar Bowl winner, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Louisiana Tech 51, SMU 10

‌Thursday, Dec. 21

‌Saturday, Jan. 20

‌Gasparilla Bowl

‌East-West Shrine Classic

At St. Petersburg, Fla. Temple (6-6) vs. FIU (8-4), late

At St. Petersburg, Fla. East vs. West, 2 p.m. (NFLN)

‌Friday, Dec. 22

‌NFLPA Collegiate Bowl

‌Bahamas Bowl

At Carson, Calif.

American vs. National, TBA (FS1)

Nassau Ohio (8-4) vs. UAB (8-4), 11:30 a.m. (ESPN)

‌Saturday, Jan. 27

‌Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Boise, Idaho Central Michigan (7-5) vs. Wyoming (7-5), 3 p.m. (ESPN)

‌Saturday, Dec. 23 ‌Birmingham (Ala.) Bowl South Florida (9-2) vs. Texas Tech (6-6), 11 a.m. (ESPN)

‌Armed Forces Bowl Fort Worth, Texas San Diego State (10-2) vs. Army (8-3), 2:30 p.m. (ESPN)

‌Dollar General Bowl Mobile, Ala. Appalachian State (8-4) vs. Toledo (11-2), 6 p.m. (ESPN)

‌Sunday, Dec. 24 ‌Hawaii Bowl Honolulu Fresno State (9-4) vs. Houston (7-4), 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

W L T Pct PF PA‌ ‌Tuesday, Dec. 26 11 3 0 .786 395 274 8 6 0 .571 264 306 ‌Heart of Dallas Bowl 6 8 0 .429 252 342 5 9 0 .357 285 342 West Virginia (7-5) vs. Utah (6-6), 12:30 p.m. (ESPN)

South

‌Quick Lane Bowl

W L T Pct PF PA‌ x-Jacksonville 10 4 0 .714 374 209 Detroit Tennessee 8 6 0 .571 296 319 Northern Illinois (8-4) vs. Duke (6-6), 4:15 p.m. (ESPN) Houston 4 10 0 .286 319 380 ‌Cactus Bowl Indianapolis 3 11 0 .214 225 368

North

Phoenix W L T Pct PF PA‌Kansas State (7-5) vs. UCLA (6-6), 8 p.m. (ESPN)

y-Pittsburgh 11 3 0 .786 344 278 Baltimore 8 6 0 .571 345 256 Cincinnati 5 9 0 .357 233 305 Cleveland 0 14 0 .000 207 362

‌Wednesday, Dec. 27 ‌Independence Bowl

Shreveport, La.

W L T Pct PF PA‌Southern Mississippi (8-4) vs. Florida State (6-6), Kansas City 8 6 0 .571 359 302 12:30 p.m. (ESPN) West

L.A. Chargers 7 7 0 .500 311 255 Oakland 6 8 0 .429 281 324 Denver 5 9 0 .357 254 328

NATIONAL CONFERENCE East

‌Pinstripe Bowl Bronx, N.Y. Boston College (7-5) vs. Iowa (7-5), 4:15 p.m. (ESPN)

‌Foster Farms Bowl

W L T Pct PF PA‌ y-Philadelphia 12 2 0 .857 438 279 Santa Clara, Calif.

Dallas 8 6 0 .571 336 311 Arizona (7-5) vs. Purdue (6-6), 7:30 p.m. (FOX) Washington 6 8 0 .429 305 359 ‌Texas Bowl N.Y. Giants 2 12 0 .143 228 355

Houston

South

W L T Pct PF PA‌Texas (6-6) vs. Missouri (7-5), 8 p.m. (ESPN) New Orleans 10 4 0 .714 401 282 ‌Thursday, Dec. 28 Carolina 10 4 0 .714 331 286 Atlanta 9 5 0 .643 318 282 ‌Military Bowl Tampa Bay 4 10 0 .286 285 336

Annapolis, Md.

North

W L T Pct PF PA‌Virginia (6-6) vs. Navy (6-5), 12:30 p.m. (ESPN) y-Minnesota 11 3 0 .786 343 242 ‌Camping World Bowl Detroit 8 6 0 .571 358 339 Green Bay 7 7 0 .500 309 333 Orlando, Fla. Chicago 4 10 0 .286 234 294 Oklahoma State (9-3) vs. Virginia Tech (9-3), 4:15 p.m.

West

(ESPN)

W L T Pct PF PA‌ ‌Alamo Bowl L.A. Rams 10 4 0 .714 438 272 Seattle 8 6 0 .571 321 294 San Antonio Arizona 6 8 0 .429 246 337 Stanford (9-4) vs. TCU (10-3), 8 p.m. (ESPN) San Francisco 4 10 0 .286 253 337

x-clinched playoff spot y-clinched division Saturday’s Games Indianapolis at Baltimore, 4:30 p.m.

Minnesota at Green Bay, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday’s Games Cleveland at Chicago, 1 p.m.

Atlanta at New Orleans, 1 p.m.

Denver at Washington, 1 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Carolina, 1 p.m.

Miami at Kansas City, 1 p.m.

L.A. Rams at Tennessee, 1 p.m.

L.A. Chargers at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m.

Detroit at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.

Buffalo at New England, 1 p.m.

Jacksonville at San Francisco, 4:05 p.m.

N.Y. Giants at Arizona, 4:25 p.m.

Seattle at Dallas, 4:25 p.m.

Monday’s Games Pittsburgh at Houston, 4:30 p.m.

Oakland at Philadelphia, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 31 Washington at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m.

N.Y. Jets at New England, 1 p.m.

Carolina at Atlanta, 1 p.m.

Houston at Indianapolis, 1 p.m.

Cleveland at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.

Green Bay at Detroit, 1 p.m.

Dallas at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.

Chicago at Minnesota, 1 p.m.

Buffalo at Miami, 1 p.m.

Jacksonville at Tennessee, 1 p.m.

Cincinnati at Baltimore, 1 p.m.

New Orleans at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.

Oakland at L.A. Chargers, 4:25 p.m.

San Francisco at L.A. Rams, 4:25 p.m.

Arizona at Seattle, 4:25 p.m.

Kansas City at Denver, 4:25 p.m.

‌Holiday Bowl

San Diego Washington State (9-3) vs. Michigan State (9-3), 8 p.m.

(FOX)

‌Friday, Dec. 29

HOCKEY NHL ‌EASTERN CONFERENCE ‌Atlantic Division

GP W L OT Pts GF GA Tampa Bay 34 25 7 2 52 130 87 Toronto 36 21 14 1 43 119 102 Boston 33 18 10 5 41 98 88 Montreal 34 15 15 4 34 94 108 Detroit 34 13 14 7 33 95 110 Florida 34 13 16 5 31 98 117 Ottawa 33 11 14 8 30 92 113 Buffalo 34 8 19 7 23 72 114 Metropolitan Division‌

GP W L OT Pts GF GA New Jersey 34 20 9 5 45 109 102 Washington 35 22 12 1 45 112 101 Columbus 36 21 13 2 44 103 98 N.Y. Rangers 35 19 12 4 42 115 101 N.Y. Islanders 35 18 13 4 40 125 125 Pittsburgh 36 18 15 3 39 104 114 Philadelphia 34 15 12 7 37 96 97 Carolina 34 15 12 7 37 95 107

‌WESTERN CONFERENCE ‌Central Division

GP W L OT Pts GF GA Nashville 34 21 9 4 46 113 95 St. Louis 36 22 12 2 46 108 90 Winnipeg 36 20 10 6 46 119 100 Dallas 36 19 14 3 41 106 103 Minnesota 34 18 13 3 39 100 99 Chicago 34 17 12 5 39 102 90 Colorado 33 16 15 2 34 105 109 ‌Pacific Division‌

GP W L OT Pts GF GA Vegas 33 22 9 2 46 116 100 Los Angeles 35 21 10 4 46 107 82 Calgary 35 18 14 3 39 99 103 San Jose 32 17 11 4 38 88 80 Anaheim 36 15 13 8 38 97 108 Vancouver 35 15 16 4 34 93 113 Edmonton 34 15 17 2 32 101 110 Arizona 36 7 24 5 19 80 125

NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss.

Top three teams in each division and two wild cards per conference advance to playoffs. ‌Wednesday’s Games

Columbus 4, Toronto 2 Philadelphia 4, Detroit 3 Calgary 2, St. Louis 1

‌Thursday’s Games

Pittsburgh 3, Columbus 2, SO New Jersey 4, N.Y. Rangers 3, SO Anaheim 5, N.Y. Islanders 4, OT Boston 2, Winnipeg 1, SO Tampa Bay 4, Ottawa 3, SO Carolina 4, Nashville 1 Dallas 4, Chicago 0 St. Louis at Edmonton, late Colorado at Los Angeles, late Vancouver at San Jose, late

Today’s Games‌

Philadelphia at Buffalo, 6 p.m.

Minnesota at Florida, 6:30 p.m.

Montreal at Calgary, 8 p.m.

Washington at Arizona, 8 p.m.

‌Saturday’s Games

‌Belk Bowl Charlotte, N.C. Wake Forest (7-5) vs. Texas A&M (7-5), noon (ESPN)

‌Sun Bowl El Paso, Texas NC State (8-4) vs. Arizona State (7-5), 2 p.m. (CBS)

‌Music City Bowl Nashville, Tenn.

Kentucky (7-5) vs. Northwestern (9-3), 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)

‌Arizona Bowl Tucson, Ariz.

New Mexico State (5-6) vs. Utah State (6-6), 4:30 p.m.

(CBSSN)

‌Cotton Bowl Classic Arlington, Texas Southern Cal (11-2) vs. Ohio State (11-2), 7:30 p.m.

(ESPN)

‌Saturday, Dec. 30 ‌TaxSlayer Bowl Jacksonville, Fla. Louisville (8-4) vs. Mississippi State (8-4), 11 a.m. (ESPN)

‌Liberty Bowl Memphis, Tenn.

Iowa State (7-5) vs. Memphis (10-2), 11:30 a.m. (ABC)

‌Fiesta Bowl

‌Senior Bowl At Mobile, Ala. North vs. South, 1:30 p.m. (NFLN)

Detroit at Boston, Noon Winnipeg at N.Y. Islanders, Noon Montreal at Edmonton, 6 p.m.

Anaheim at Pittsburgh, 6 p.m.

Chicago at New Jersey, 6 p.m.

Minnesota at Tampa Bay, 6 p.m.

Ottawa at Florida, 6 p.m.

Buffalo at Carolina, 6 p.m.

Philadelphia at Columbus, 6 p.m.

Toronto at N.Y. Rangers, 6 p.m.

Colorado at Arizona, 7 p.m.

Nashville at Dallas, 7 p.m.

Washington at Vegas, 7 p.m.

Los Angeles at San Jose, 9 p.m.

St. Louis at Vancouver, 9 p.m.

Sunday’s Games No games scheduled Thursday’s game

Chicago 0 0 0 — 0‌ Dallas 1 3 0 — 4‌

First Period—1, Dallas, Benn 15 (Elie, Hamhuis), 16:11.

Second Period—2, Dallas, Roussel 4 (Pateryn, Hamhuis), 12:07. 3, Dallas, Seguin 15 (Klingberg, Spezza), 5:55 (pp).

4, Dallas, Seguin 16 (Shore), 15:14.

Third Period—None.

Shots on Goal—Chicago 11-6-7—24. Dallas 7-9-6—22.

Power-play opportunities—Chicago 0 of 1; Dallas 1 of 3.

Goalies—Chicago, Crawford 16-8-2 (22 shots-18 saves).

Dallas, Bishop 14-9-2 (24-24).

A—18,532 (18,532). T—1:31.

Referees—Jean Hebert, Frederick L’Ecuyer. Linesmen— Ryan Gibbons, Matt MacPherson.

Young QBs getting hurt too often in NFL BARRY WILNER

Associated Press‌

‌ arson Wentz , knee.

C Ryan Tannehill, knee.

Andrew Luck, shoulder.

Derek Carr, leg.

Trevor Siemian, shoulder.

Teddy Bridgewater, knee.

Deshaun Watson, knee.

Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston, assorted.

That’s a short list of young quarterbacks who have either missed action this season or wound up on the NFL’s injured reserve.

It’s too long.

Plus, there are lots of older veterans who have gone down, from Carson Palmer to Aaron Rodgers to Josh McCown. But those guys have been sidelined before, and they have bounced back.

There should be concern for the likes of Wentz and Carr and Watson and the top two picks of 2015, Winston and Mariota. They might not be properly trained to survive the rigors of NFL quarterbacking.

And there are plenty of reasons why.

“The longer you play, you understand the best ability is your availability,” says Rich Gannon, the 2002 NFL MVP with the Raiders who spent 17 NFL seasons with four franchises.

Gannon doesn’t think many of the QBs coming into the NFL are

prepared to stay on the field. He’s not talking just about wins and losses, either.

“If you really study a lot of them, they’ve been through significant change with the coaching staffs, the coordinators, the systems. And there is no carry-over and no continuity, and so they are constantly learning.

“While they are learning, they are not totally versed in protection schemes. When you are unsure, sometimes you make a mistake, like with (defensive) guys coming off the edge and you did not anticipate or didn’t know you should anticipate it.

“Watch the masters, guys like Brady or Brees or Rivers, they don’t take a lot of unnecessary hits. They see the protections, have an understanding of scheme and where they are vulnerable, where the pressure is coming from. So they get the ball out.”

Another thing those vets do is throw the ball away when a play won’t work. Move on to another down. Meanwhile, you haven’t taken yet another hit — maybe the shot that sends you to the sideline.

“They think they can make every play,” Gannon adds of the youngsters.

Since Gannon retired after the 2004 season, the demands on a college quarterback have changed so

drastically that the game they play before reaching the NFL can have as much resemblance to pro football as marbles does to bowling.

For example, even passers operating something akin to a prostyle offense in school do not need to process information at the line of scrimmage. They almost exclusively work out of the shotgun or pistol. Their targets are predetermined and there is little ad-libbing.

They aren’t working behind center, so they don’t understand the protections. And they are sketchy on functioning as pocket passers.

Their training and instincts in college lead them to leave the pocket and scramble more often than is safe when they are in the NFL. So can it be changed to make the transition easier?

“It is not going to (improve),” Gannon says. “I don’t think the college game is going to change. I think part of it is coaching — they get these kids for whatever time each week and that is it. They are not coaching them for the next level, nor is that what they are hired to do.

They are coaching them to win now, to become conference champions.

“There’s also a problem at our league level. You have too much turnover, coordinators are fired all the time. You could have a young guy working with a different coor-

dinator and different system year after year.

“We also need to look at who is coaching some of the positions. You see with some (teams), quality control coaches are promoted to work with the quarterbacks, or tight end coaches are promoted to coach the quarterback. That doesn’t make a lot of sense.”

Oddly, the one young quarterback who shows the most promise of succeeding in a pro-style attack is Wentz, who went to an FCS school, North Dakota State. Of course, the Bison are a powerhouse at that level.

Wentz seems to understand the mechanics of quarterbacking in the NFL more than his peers.

“I really like Wentz’s game, I think it is built for a lot of different styles of play,” says Gannon, who had many different styles when he played.

“He can sit in there, has the strength like a Ben Roethlisberger, can shake off a would-be sack, has some quickness to him. He can find a lane and step up and then throw, and has the intelligence you like at the position, a guy who can process a lot of info and really cut down on the mistakes.”

Yet, as anyone on Broad Street in Philadelphia will tell you, Wentz tore up his knee and is done for the M 1 season.

SPORTS

Decatur Herald & Review

Friday, December 22, 2017 | B3

No. 2 Michigan State rolls to a victory ASSOCIATED PRESS

‌AST LANSING, Mich. — Miles E Bridges had 17 points and nine rebounds as part of a balanced offense that gave No. 2 Michigan State a 102-60 victory over Long Beach State on Thursday night.

The Spartans (12-1) have won 11 straight with all the victories by double digits and many by 20-plus points.

The 49ers (5-9) trailed by just five points midway through the first half before Michigan State pulled away. The Spartans led by 16 points at halftime and dominated at both ends of the court to quickly turn the game into another rout.

Michigan State’s Joshua Langford had 17 points, Nick Ward scored 16 on 7-of-8 shooting, Cassius Winston had 13 points and eight assists and Jaren Jackson added 13 points.

Long Beach State’s only double-digit ball well from beyond the arc, making 6 scorer was Gabe Levin, who had 14 of 15 3-point attempts in the first half. points.

The Boilermakers shot 58 percent from beyond the 3-point line for the game (15 of 26).

No. 16 Purdue 97, Tennessee Purdue led by as many as 34 points State 48‌ during the first half, where Tennessee WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Carsen State shot 25 percent (6 of 24) which Edwards scored 26 points, P.J. Thomp- included a nearly 7-minute span where son finished with 17 and No. 16 Purdue the Tigers (5-6) didn’t make a field goal. cruised to a 97-48 victory over TennesChristian Mekowulu led the Tigers see State on Thursday night. with 10 points.

Purdue (12-2) sealed the win when it outscored the Tigers 32-5 during the fi- No. 20 Cincinnati 81, Cleveland nal 14 minutes of the first half. The Boil- State 62‌ ermakers were leading 16-11 when they took control of the game, overwhelming HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — Gary Tennessee State with a balanced offen- Clark scored 18 points, and Kyle Washsive attack. ington had a pair of put-backs that Purdue outscored Tennessee State sparked a late run as No. 20 Cincinnati 20-0 in the paint and shot the basket- pulled away to an 81-62 victory over

Cleveland State on Thursday night.

The Bearcats (11-2) struggled to extend their home-court winning streak to 33 games, the longest in the nation.

Washington’s consecutive rebounds and baskets pushed it to 66-56 — only Cincinnati’s second double-digit lead of the game — and sparked a closing 21-8 run.

Jarron Cumberland added 16 points for Cincinnati, which is playing this season at BB&T Arena at Northern Kentucky University while its on-campus arena is renovated. The Bearcats went 18-0 at Fifth Third Arena last season.

Tyree Appleby had 16 points for the Vikings (3-8), who were playing their second road game in three days.

The Vikings stayed close by hitting 3s — their specialty. There were three ties and eight lead changes in the first half, with the Vikings shooting 68 percent

from the field, including 7 of 12 from beyond the arc. Cincinnati didn’t lead by double digits until midway through the second half.

No. 24 Florida State 98, Southern Mississippi 45‌ TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — After struggling in its past two games, including suffering its first loss of the year, No. 24 Florida State was given a team exercise leading into Thursday’s matchup against Southern Mississippi. Coach Leonard Hamilton had his players grade their previous game and come up with points of emphasis.

The self-scouting ended up benefiting the Seminoles, who closed nonconference play with a victory Thursday over the Golden Eagles.

EIU men handle St. Francis JUSTIN RUST

Herald & Review News Service‌

ASSOCIATED PRESS‌

Life after tragedy Ball State’s Ishmael El-Amin (5) and Sean Sellers (34) celebrate during the second half of an 80-77 win over Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.

Ball State roaring back through adverstiy MICHAEL MAROT

Associated Press‌

‌MUNCIE, Ind. — The banners inside Worthen Arena rekindle fond memories of Ball State basketball.

They are reminders of seven regular season Mid-American Conference championships, seven league tourney crowns and seven NCAA Tournament bids earned during a 19-year stretch starting in 1981. They spur debate about whether the greatest moment in program history was the Sweet Sixteen run in 1990 or the improbable journey to the 2001 Maui Invitational championship game after upsetting No. 4 Kansas and No. 3 UCLA on back-to-back nights before falling short against top-ranked Duke.

Since then, the once budding mid-major program has been mired mostly in mediocrity. Or worse. The rafters prove it.

This season was supposed to be different.

Players talked openly about a third straight 20-win season, pursuing their first league title in 18 seasons, celebrating their first NCAA tourney win since 1990 and, yes, even adding a banner or two to the dusty collection.

They had hoped to pursue those goals with 6-foot-9 forward Zach Hollywood

of Bourbonnais, Illinois, along for the ride. Instead, they are playing for his memory. Well-liked by his coaches and teammates, the 19-year-old Hollywood was found dead in his apartment on Aug. 22 after committing suicide.

Everything changed for the Cardinals that day — and now, a terrible start to the season has given way to an inspired winning streak that carries so much more with it.

James Whitford has dealt with his share of adversity in two decades as a coach. It’s part of the job.

Coping with a player’s suicide was a first and Whitford needed answers.

He wanted to know why Hollywood, the kid whose obituary said he loved Superman ice cream, would take his own life and whether he could have done something, anything to prevent the tragedy — questions that were dominating the locker room. Whitford and his team both needed help.

“Objectively, what I would say to myself is that, ‘I know we have a very competent staff. I know we have a staff that works very hard. And I know every single one of us would have walked barefoot to Alaska to save him,’” Whitford said, his voice breaking ever so slightly. “Our souls, our hearts and our intent, I know, were all in the right place. But that doesn’t stop you from asking what you could have noticed or what could you have missed

or what could you have done differently.”

One of his first calls went to first-year Indiana coach Archie Miller, who worked with Whitford when the two were on the staff at Arizona.

Miller had dealt with his own tragedy in the summer of 2016 when Dayton center Steve McElvene died from a heart condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Now, Miller was on the other side — offering condolences and advice, explaining to Whitford it had taken six months before his team was back to normal.

Basketball was the least of Whitford’s concerns.

Workouts stopped, and Whitford also needed to help support Trey Moses, a 6-foot-9 forward from Louisville who found his best friend’s body. Moses hasn’t answered questions about it since that awful August day.

“I’ve struggled with depression for over 7 years. I regret not allowing anyone to know until now,” Moses wrote in series of Twitter posts last February, encouraging some to seek help and others to understand.

About a week after Hollywood’s death, Whitford informed the Cardinals the gym would soon be open for voluntary workouts. It didn’t take long for basketball to become a part of the healing process.

“I told the players and our normal practice squad that in time we would open the

gym up if they wanted to get a workout in,” Whitford said. “Certainly, nobody was required but if they wanted to get a workout in for their mental health, we’d be happy to work them out. I think every guy on the team, barring maybe two, wanted to get a workout in. and I remember how good it felt for me to work them out.”

Whitford expected his team to be behind when the season started in November and it was. The Cardinals opened 1-4 and hopes for a breakout season seemed to be teetering on the brink.

Instead of questioning themselves, complaining or making excuses, the Cardinals dug in and turned things around.

Injured players started getting healthy, the Cardinals got in sync and, after crisscrossing the country in November, Ball State hasn’t traveled outside Indiana since Nov. 22.

It made a difference.

Playing with a patch bearing Hollywood’s initials just above their hearts, the Cardinals beat Indiana State, Oakland and IUPUI before a visit to Notre Dame.

There, with Hollywood’s family in the crowd, Tayler Persons made a 3-pointer from the corner with 1.7 seconds left to give Ball State an 80-77 victory and its first top-10 win since that UCLA game in Maui all those years ago.

The upset created excitement in Muncie that hadn’t existed in years.

‌CHARLESTON — Saint Francis, an NAIA program from Joliet, stuck with the Eastern Illinois men’s basketball team for about 12 minutes during Thursday’s game at Lantz Arena.

Then the Panthers started to clean up some things offensively and pulled away from the Fighting Saints. EIU built a double-digit lead by halftime and were up by 20 points before the midway mark of the second half.

The Panthers (4-7) kept building their lead and picked up an 74-38 win over Saint Francis.

EIU coach Jay Spoonhour saw what he needed to out of the team in the game as it gets ready for Ohio Valley Conference play next Thursday at Murray State.

“With the injuries that we have, some of those guys that played at the end, that wasn’t just them having fun. Logan (Koch) needs to make plays, DeVantae Price and Shawn Wilson, those guys might need to play and do well and I thought they did fine,” Spoonhour said.

“There were times we lost our concentration and times I thought we were sluggish, but at this point, when you’ve gone through what we’ve gone through over the past three weeks, I am not going to dissect a ‘W’. I’m happy that we went out and played hard.”

The Panthers have been without fouryear starting point guard Terrell Lewis for the past three games because of a high-grade ankle sprain. Spoonhour said the trainers will look at him again to see if he can make it back for the OVC opener, but the timetable is usually four to six weeks for that injury.

EIU is still working through some issues without Lewis out there. In the first game without Lewis, the Panthers turned it over 18 times against South Alabama. Against Western Illinois on Tuesday, EIU only had eight turnovers.

But against Saint Francis, the Panthers turned the ball over 18 times.

Illini From B1

“We can’t fear that moment,” he said.

“Freshmen aren’t freshmen anymore. I told them, ‘You’ve played a semester of basketball. Time to grow up. Today will be our 53rd or 54th practice. You’ve been through enough. You should know by now.’”

Michael Finke, a junior and veteran of two Braggin’ Rights victories, said he hasn’t seen those freshmen hang their heads, despite five losses by a combined total of 24 points.

“Honestly, I think everyone is keeping their heads up,” Finke said. “We know we’re right there. We just have to keep trusting the process.

“I think the freshmen know (Braggin’ Rights) is a big game, but I don’t think they know how big it is. We’ll talk to them about it soon. It’s a huge game for us because we want to get a win against a quality team.”mtupper@herald-review. com|(217) 421-7983

Jerry Kill steps away from his coaching career Coach glad he gave it one more shot RALPH D. RUSSO

Assocaited Press‌

‌Jerry Kill is back in Illinois this week to spend the holidays with family after retiring from coaching for good because of the seizures caused by his epilepsy.

This could be a tough time for the 56-year-old Kill, coming to grips with no longer being able to do a job he loves. But M the recent arrival of little Emery Hynes, 1 Kill’s first grandchild, means there is still

plenty to celebrate.

“I’m biased, but I think she’s the cutest baby in the world,” Kill said Thursday in a phone interview with The Associated Press.

After one season as offensive coordinator at Rutgers, Kill made his retirement official earlier this week. Even though it did not work out, he is glad he gave coaching another try.

“I don’t want to go out saying I wish I would have coached again,” Kill said.

The former Minnesota and Northern Illinois head coach returned to the sideline after one season away. Seizures forced him

to resign from Minnesota in the middle of the 2015 season. He took time to recover and adjust his lifestyle. He began sleeping more, exercising regularly and eating better.

Kill spent the 2016 season in an administrative job at Kansas State and was feeling good. He had not had a seizure in more than a year when he joined coach Chris Ash’s staff at Rutgers. Kill figured not having the responsibilities of a head coach would allow him to maintain a healthy routine.

He and wife Rebecca knew it would be a challenge. Jerry Kill did, indeed, revert

back to some bad habits. He said he was sleeping about four hours a night. In the second game of this season against Eastern Michigan, players collided with Kill on the sideline and he hit his head on the ground.

He had a seizure and was hospitalized.

More followed. He struggled with shortterm memory loss. About midway through the season, Kill said, he met with Ash and athletic director Pat Hobbs to talk.

“They gave me advice,” Kill said. And then he decided to do it his way and coach out the season. “I was bull-headed.”

Kill credited the other offensive coaches — running back coach Lester Urb, receiv-

ers coach Jafar Williams and offensive line coach AJ Blazek — and Dr. Yvette Rooks, the chief medical officer for Rutgers athletics, with helping him get through the season.

Rebecca Kill drove Jerry to and from games at Illinois (13 hours one way), Michigan State and Penn State because air travel was problematic for him.

Rutgers finished 4-8, including 3-5 in the Big Ten after going winless in conference in 2016, Ash’s first season in Piscataway, New Jersey. The offense struggled again, churning through three quarterbacks, including a transfer and a freshman.

SPORTS

B4 | Friday, December 22, 2017

NFL PICKS | WEEK 16 Times are EST SATURDAY’S GAME INDIANAPOLIS AT BALTIMORE, 4:30 P.M. | With Baltimore’s defense, this game could be a shutout. | RAVENS 22-3 GREEN BAY AT MINNESOTA, 8:30 P.M. | Vikings touting idea of playing in as well as hosting Super Bowl. | VIKINGS 30-16

SUNDAY’S GAMES CLEVELAND AT CHICAGO, 1 P.M. | Cleveland continues to lose close games. | BEARS 16-10 ATLANTA AT NEW ORLEANS, 1 P.M. | Winner clinches playoff berth, adds strength to its NFC South standing. | SAINTS 30-27 DENVER AT WASHINGTON, 1 P.M. | Broncos have won two straight, but against sluggish teams. | REDSKINS 23-21 TAMPA BAY AT CAROLINA, 1 P.M. | Dangerous Panthers are in playoffs with victory. | PANTHERS 33-16 MIAMI AT KANSAS CITY, 1 P.M. | AFC West belongs to Chiefs, despite midseason hiatus. | CHIEFS 23-16 LOS ANGELES RAMS AT TENNESSEE, 1 P.M. | Titans playing at their worst just when they need to be good. | RAMS 26-17 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS AT NEW YORK JETS, 1 P.M. | AFC wild card still in reach, though Chargers need help. | CHARGERS 28-22 DETROIT AT CINCINNATI, 1 P.M. | Bengals have mailed it in, Lions still in chase. | LIONS 27-13 BUFFALO AT NEW ENGLAND, 1 P.M. | Last team Bills needed to see while still in wild-card contention. | PATRIOTS 27-20 JACKSONVILLE AT SAN FRANCISCO, 4:05 P.M. | Jaguars secure AFC South, but Jimmy G makes it tight. | JAGUARS 20-17 NEW YORK GIANTS AT ARIZONA, 4:25 P.M. | Not with a lot of conviction, but we have to pick one. | GIANTS 19-17 SEATTLE AT DALLAS, 4:25 P.M. | Cowboys are coming on, Ezekiel Elliott is back, Seahawks are reeling. | COWBOYS 27-20

MONDAY’S GAME PITTSBURGH AT HOUSTON, 4:30 P.M. | Santa’s gift to Steelers fans: More Terrible Towels to wave. | STEELERS 30-10 OAKLAND AT PHILADELPHIA, 8:30 P.M. | Santa’s gift to Eagles fans: Home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs. | EAGLES 30-26

AMERICAN CONFERENCE‌

NATIONAL CONFERENCE‌ East‌

East‌

W L T Pct PF PA Home Away AFC NFC Div‌ y-New England 11 3 0 .786 395 274 4-2-0 7-1-0 8-2-0 3-1-0 3-1-0 Buffalo 8 6 0 .571 264 306 6-2-0 2-4-0 6-4-0 2-2-0 2-2-0 Miami 6 8 0 .429 252 342 4-3-0 2-5-0 5-5-0 1-3-0 2-3-0 N.Y. Jets 5 9 0 .357 285 342 4-3-0 1-6-0 5-5-0 0-4-0 2-3-0

W L T Pct PF PA Home Away NFC AFC Div‌ y-Philadelphia 12 2 0 .857 438 279 6-0-0 6-2-0 10-1-0 2-1-0 5-0-0 Dallas 8 6 0 .571 336 311 3-4-0 5-2-0 6-4-0 2-2-0 4-1-0 Washington 6 8 0 .429 305 359 4-3-0 2-5-0 5-6-0 1-2-0 1-4-0 N.Y. Giants 2 12 0 .143 228 355 1-6-0 1-6-0 0-10-0 2-2-0 0-5-0

South‌

South‌

W L T Pct PF PA Home Away AFC NFC Div‌ x-Jacksonville 10 4 0 .714 374 209 6-2-0 4-2-0 9-2-0 1-2-0 4-1-0 Tennessee 8 6 0 .571 296 319 5-1-0 3-5-0 7-4-0 1-2-0 4-1-0 Houston 4 10 0 .286 319 380 3-4-0 1-6-0 3-7-0 1-3-0 1-4-0 Indianapolis 3 11 0 .214 225 368 2-5-0 1-6-0 2-8-0 1-3-0 1-4-0

W L T Pct PF PA Home Away NFC AFC Div‌ New Orleans 10 4 0 .714 401 282 6-1-0 4-3-0 7-3-0 3-1-0 3-1-0 Carolina 10 4 0 .714 331 286 5-2-0 5-2-0 6-4-0 4-0-0 2-2-0 Atlanta 9 5 0 .643 318 282 4-3-0 5-2-0 8-2-0 1-3-0 3-1-0 Tampa Bay 4 10 0 .286 285 336 3-4-0 1-6-0 2-8-0 2-2-0 0-4-0

North‌

North‌

W L T Pct PF PA Home Away NFC AFC Div‌

W L T Pct PF PA Home Away AFC NFC Div‌ y-Minnesota 11 3 0 .786 343 242 6-1-0 5-2-0 8-2-0 3-1-0 3-1-0 y-Pittsburgh 11 3 0 .786 344 278 5-2-0 6-1-0 8-2-0 3-1-0 5-0-0 Detroit 8 6 0 .571 358 339 3-4-0 5-2-0 7-4-0 1-2-0 4-1-0 Baltimore 8 6 0 .571 345 256 4-2-0 4-4-0 6-4-0 2-2-0 3-2-0 Green Bay 7 7 0 .500 309 333 4-3-0 3-4-0 5-5-0 2-2-0 2-2-0 Cincinnati 5 9 0 .357 233 305 3-4-0 2-5-0 5-6-0 0-3-0 2-3-0 Chicago 4 10 0 .286 234 294 2-5-0 2-5-0 1-10-0 3-0-0 0-5-0 Cleveland 0 14 0 .000 207 362 0-8-0 0-6-0 0-11-0 0-3-0 0-5-0

West‌

West‌

W L T Pct PF PA Home Away NFC AFC Div‌

W L T Pct PF PA Home Away AFC NFC Div‌ L.A. Rams 10 4 0 .714 438 272 4-3-0 6-1-0 7-4-0 3-0-0 4-1-0 Kansas City 8 6 0 .571 359 302 5-2-0 3-4-0 6-4-0 2-2-0 4-1-0 Seattle 8 6 0 .571 321 294 4-3-0 4-3-0 6-4-0 2-2-0 4-1-0 L.A. Chargers 7 7 0 .500 311 255 4-3-0 3-4-0 4-6-0 3-1-0 2-3-0 Arizona 6 8 0 .429 246 337 4-3-0 2-5-0 3-7-0 3-1-0 2-3-0 San Francisco 4 10 0 .286 253 337 2-5-0 2-5-0 2-9-0 2-1-0 0-5-0 Oakland 6 8 0 .429 281 324 4-4-0 2-4-0 5-6-0 1-2-0 2-3-0 x-clinched playoff spot y-clinched division Denver 5 9 0 .357 254 328 4-3-0 1-6-0 4-7-0 1-2-0 2-3-0

Cavs snap Chicago’s win streak LeBron leads Cleveland to 115-112 win TOM WITHERS

Associated Press‌

‌CLEVELAND — Once Isaiah Thomas slipped on his jersey and headband those familiar, warm feelings washed over him.

His agonizing wait is almost over.

After seven months away, countless days of rehab and wonder if he would play again, Thomas was again on an NBA court Thursday night. And although he only took part in the pregame layup lane, it was more than enough.

“It was everything,” he said. “I felt like a basketball player again.”

Thomas dressed for the first time since coming to Cleveland in a trade and cheered from the bench on as LeBron James scored 34 points to lead the Cavaliers to their 12th straight home game, 115-112 over the Chicago Bulls.

Kevin Love added 27 to help the Cavs improve to 19-2 since Nov. 11.

But the biggest development for Cleveland was Thomas, who moved even closer to making his

debut with the Cavs after injuring his right hip in the playoffs last May while with Boston. Earlier in the day, Thomas scrimmaged with the Canton Charge, the Cavs’ G-League affiliate, before coming to Quicken Loans Arena.

Thomas then put on his uniform, joined his teammates in their pregame prayer and took the floor for a warmup he won’t forget.

“It just felt like I was a rookie again, like my first game,” Thomas said. “I haven’t been in an arena like that where you’re warming up, you’re with teammates, that’s so new right now. I’ve been down since May so just being out there put a smile on my face.”

Thomas won’t play in Cleveland’s next game — a Christmas Day marquee matchup with Golden State — but the Cavs won’t be without the AllStar point guard much longer.

Thomas said his workout with Canton went well, and he’ll wait for Cleveland’s medical staff to clear him to play in a game.

Thomas said facing the Warriors was never his goal.

“No, that was a target for my kids,” he said. “So they mad, but I’m fine with it. I have no rhythm,

so there is no way I can play in an actual game right now and be very effective like I’m used to being.

Slowly that will come back and I’ll get a feel for it. I also gotta get in some shape. That was probably the toughest part today, the going up and down constantly, being a little winded.”

Dwyane Wade had three steals and two blocks in the fourth quarter for Cleveland, which improved to 3-0 against the Bulls this season.

With Cavs forward Jae Crowder guarding him closely, Denzel Valentine was short with a tying 3-pointer in the final second.

Rookie Lauri Markkanen scored 25 points, Valentine had 18 and Nikola Mirotic 15 for the Bulls, who lost for the first time since Dec. 6. Chicago’s win streak followed a 10-game losing skid.

“The last time we played in their gym, Cleveland absolutely drilled us,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said.

“This shows the growth we’ve had as a team. We gave ourselves a chance to win and our effort was tremendous, especially after sitting on a plane when we got here for 40 minutes with no stairs (due to mix up at airport gate).”

Decatur Herald & Review

Stars blank Blackhawks CHRIS HINE

Herald & Review News Service‌

‌The Blackhawks’ two games before taking on the Stars were arguably the best consecutive performances the Hawks made all season.

They were successful in part because the Hawks corrected a nagging problem they couldn’t cure most of the season — bad second periods.

The Hawks had seemed to find a remedy for that in wins over the Jets and Wild. But that bugaboo reappeared in a big way as the Hawks fell to the Stars, 4-0, in coach Ken Hitchcock’s 800th career win.

After leading 1-0 following an fairly even first period, the Stars took command in the second, getting a pair of goals from Tyler Seguin and another off a deflection from Antoine Roussel. The Hawks now have a goal differential of minus-7 in second periods to go with plus-11 in the first and plus-9 in the third.

The first period wasn’t as bad

for the Hawks but there was a concerning moment early.

Captain Jonathan Toews was slow to get up following a hit in the back from Stars defenseman Stephen Johns. Toews, who missed time last season because of a back injury, missed some shifts as he went to the locker room but came back out later in the period for the Hawks’ first penalty kill of the night.

The Hawks survived the kill, which came after a Tommy Wingels tripping penalty, but as Wingels was coming out of the box, Remi Elie rocketed a pass to Stars center Jamie Benn, who put home the slam-dunk goal at 17:11.

The Hawks had their best chance earlier in the period when Stars goaltender Ben Bishop bobbled a shot from Hawks defenseman Connor Murphy. Patrick Kane almost put home rebound, but it hit the post.

The Hawks came into Thursday as the team that hit the most

posts, and they were determined to add to that in what became a theme of the night.

Alex DeBrincat hit one on a rebound attempt earlier in the first period, then Brent Seabrook and Nick Schmaltz each drew iron in the second.

But close was no consolation as the Stars cashed in the chances they generated.

Roussel scored a goal that was nearly impossible for Hawks goaltender Corey Crawford to stop. He deflected a shot from the high slot that made it past Crawford 1:07 into the second.

Seguin got his first goal on a power play following a blocked shot from Connor Murphy. Seguin scrambled to get the puck in front of Crawford and crossed him up, leading to a 3-0 Stars lead at 5:55.

His second goal came the hard way after a scrum in front of a loose puck. Seguin got position on Hawks defenseman Brent Seabrook and stuffed the puck past Crawford’s pads at 16:14.

Cardinals’ search will continue St. Louis looking for offense, closer RICK HUMMEL

Herald & Review News Service‌

‌Barring unforeseen circumstance, the Cardinals roster you see today will be the same one you will see at the start of 2018.

That, of course, doesn’t mean that Cardinals executives John Mozeliak and Michael Girsch have abandoned their hopes of improving their team even further but their offices are shutting down Thursday for the holidays, likely just as are those of the other 29 major league clubs and a number of high-profile agents.

All was quiet at Busch on Wednesday but on Jan. 3 or so, the pace will pick up again, although there was some activity involving players in whom the Cardinals have had at least a passing interest.

The San Francisco Giants acquired third baseman Evan Longoria and cash from the Tampa Bay Rays for infielder Christian Arroyo, outfielder Denard Span and two Class A pitchers. The Cardinals had looked at the 32-year-old Longoria as a possibility to improve their offense although the nearly 10-year veteran had slumped to a .424 slugging mark and 20 homers last season, which were as many as incumbent Jedd Gyorko hit for the Cardinals and three fewer than Matt Carpenter, who is the other potential starter at that position.

The appeal to the Giants was Longoria’s Gold Glove defense and the fact that he has hit 20 or more homers in nine of 10 seasons. The appeal to the Rays was that they are off the hook for much of the $86 million owed him through 2023.

They had to take on Span, who will make $9 million this year and has a $4 million buyout and, in Arroyo, they received a player rated as the Giants’ top prospect before last season. But Arroyo, a Hernando, Fla., product and a first-round pick in 2013, hit just

ASSOCIATED PRESS‌

Tampa Bay Rays’ Alex Colome has been linked as an interest of the St. Louis Cardinals, whose front office will take a holiday break from offseason moves. three homers and batted .192 in 34 games before being sent back to Class AAA Sacramento where he twice was hit in the hand, ending his season.

The Cardinals also probably aren’t in the market anymore, not now anyway, for Baltimore lefthanded relief ace Zach Britton, who will miss several months of the season after suffering a ruptured right Achilles’ tendon while working out. Britton, who can be a free agent after next season, might have been marketable but now the Orioles must decide if they want to pay Britton the $12 million or so he would receive via arbitration or release him near the end of spring training, paying him for only one month.

If that happens, there may be a long line of clubs waiting to sign Britton, who then would be a free agent a few months early.

So, as the Cardinals head for their holiday break, their goals still are finding a bullpen ace and upgrading their offense.

They say they are all right with their rotation but that could change after some of the freeagent pitchers are off the board and teams that have starting pitching to trade can do so to teams that still are shopping.

Also, there may be some free-

agent pitchers who did not get what their agents initially sought and might be available at a lower rate, both in years and in money.

Girsch, appearing on the MLB Network on Wednesday, said, “We’re looking to improve the team. Whether something shakes out is still to be determined.”

But a Cardinals official allowed later that “things still are moving slowly.”

That the Rays have dealt Longoria shouldn’t have anything to do with the Cardinals’ interest in Rays closer Alex Colome, a firstyear arbitration player who had 47 saves in 2017, other than that the Cardinals no longer would have to take on Longoria’s contract, if, indeed, that was even broached.

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M 1

SPORTS

Decatur Herald & Review

HERALD & REVIEW ALL-MACON COUNTY VOLLEYBALL TEAM FIRST TEAM S – Carly Mason, Sr., Maroa-Forsyth — Mason co-captained the Trojans to a 34-win season and recorded 733 assists in the process, averaging 8.9 per set. The Herald & Review’s’ Macon County Player of the Year will be headed to Nashville to play at Division I Belmont University in the fall.

S – Ali Vaughn, Jr., Mount Zion — Vaughn’s role on the Braves was to feed the five hitters who were begging for kills and she did just that, racking up 932 assists, which was good for third place overall in Class 3A. She was also selected to the All-Apollo Conference First Team.

L – Maddie Yocks, Sr., Warrensburg-Latham — Yocks’ play at libero made it tough for teams to score on the Cardinals. She recorded 461 digs this season, bringing her career total to 1,077 digs.

L—Annelise Sparks, Jr., Maroa-Forsyth — Sparks accumulated 440 digs this season as Maroa’s libero and she cracked the 1,000 career digs mark in her junior year (1,009 in total), which is already a Trojans school record. She was selected as a unanimous selection to the All-Sangamo Conference team.

OH – Karlee McAtee, So., Mount Zion — McAtee was Mount Zion’s leading outside hitter and she greatly improved her accuracy this season. She recorded 287 kills with a .323 hitting percentage, which was good for fourth in Class 3A. McAtee piled up 327 digs this season and had a 97 percent serving percentage.

OH—Sydney White, Sr., Maroa-Forsyth — A co-captain for Maroa along with Mason, White led the Trojans with 233 kills and hit .265 for the season. She also added 220 digs and 22 blocks.

M—Reese Bobitt, Jr., Maroa-Forsyth — Bobitt was the

JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW‌

Maroa-Forsyth’s Reese Bobitt.

Trojans’ blocking specialist with 46 this season and as a junior she is already ranked second all-time in blocks for Maroa. A three-year starter, she also added 194 kills.

SECOND TEAM Tierra Cook, So., OH, MacArthur Madi Crawford, Sr., L, Mount Zion Reiley Drake, Jr., OH, Mount Zion Lexie Huck, So., S, St. Teresa Aubrey Hunt, Sr., M, Sangamon Valley Dayna Kennedy, Jr., MH, Mount Zion Abby Robinson, So., OH, St. Teresa HONORABLE MENTION Alyssa Baltimore, Sr., S, Eisenhower; Kate Beckemeyer, Sr., OH, Maroa-Forsyth; Meredith Brinkoetter, Sr., DS, St. Teresa;

Hayden Engelbrecht, Sr., MH, Mount Zion; Tatiana Garcia, Sr., S, Argenta-Oreana; Kaitlyn Farrar, Sr., MH, Argenta-Oreana; Amaya Fox, Jr., OH, Argenta-Oreana; Kamryn Harris, Sr., L, Argenta-Oreana; Giorgia Iannone, Sr., L/OH, Meridian; Maleeyah Joyner, Sr., L, MacArthur;Kaitlyn Lillpop, Jr., MH, Mount Zion; Fiona Padrutt, Sr., MH, Maroa-Forsyth; Taylor Page, Jr., S, Sangamon Valley; Jakya Pealer, Sr., S, MacArthur; Emily Peterson, Jr., MH, Meridian; Mariah Shores, Jr., MB, MacArthur; DaeLin Switzer, Jr., MH, St. Teresa; Kyanae Toombs, Sr., MB, Eisenhower; Jenessa Wenskunas, So., OH, Maroa-Forsyth; Mackenzie Yaroch, Jr., MH, Warrensburg-Latham; Gabby Yeakly, Jr., BS/S, Warrensburg-Latham

HERALD & REVIEW

‌DECATUR — Rhonda Glidewell has resigned as St. Teresa volleyball coach after three seasons, the school announced on Thursday.

“Rhonda Glidewell has worked very hard to continue the excellent volleyball tradition at St. Teresa High School,” St. Teresa principal Larry Daly said. “We wish her well in her new endeavors.”

Glidewell went 46-57-2 in her three seasons with the Bulldogs.

She was previously head coach at MacArthur for a season and coached at the junior high level at Our Lady of Lourdes and LSA. St. Teresa will begin looking immediately for a new coach.

Interested applicants should call CLAY JACKSON, HERALD & REVIEW‌ Daly or athletic director Todd Vohland at (217) 875-2431.

Rhonda Glidewell resigned as St. Teresa’s volleyball coach on Thursday.

From B1

& Review County Volleyball Coach of the Year. This makes lucky number seven for McAtee — he also won the award in 2001, ‘02, ‘06, ‘09, ‘10 and ‘11.

Mount Zion was anchored by its setter, Ali Vaughn, who had the responsibility of feeding the Braves’ impressive group of hitters.

“Ali is the engine that makes everything go,” McAtee said. “We have five tremendous hitters. I’ve never had that kind of offensive arsenal before. She made my life as a coach so much easier in that she kept all the hitters involved.

Whenever you have that much talent there are only so many sets to go around. Ali did a really good job of mixing up the offense and keeping everyone involved and finding out maybe who the hot hitter is that night and taking advantage of it.”

McAtee jokingly referred to the group of five hitters as his fiveheaded monster. The group includes outside hitters Karlee McAtee, Dayna Kennedy, Reiley Drake and middle hitters Kaitlyn Lilpop and Hayden Engelbrecht.

The team’s unselfish play was commendable.

“With this group it was one of the most enjoyable seasons I’ve coached,” McAtee said. “There just was not a lot of drama, and whenever you have 25 teenagers, that’s hard. It was just a group that came to work everyday and got where they are because they worked extremely hard.”

Of the group, only Engelbrecht is a senior, so next year’s team looks ferocious.

“From where we were from the start of the season, never would I have imagined that we would be M ranked one of the top three teams in 1 the state,” McAtee said. “So the girls

Bond’s 28 leads St. Teresa over Maroa-Forsyth ball really well for us,” he said.

“I’m happy to see him knock down shots early and make a difference early.”

The Trojans were led by Daanish Mahmood’s 12 points. Cody Marsh added 11.

H&R STAFF REPORTS

Glidewell resigns as St. Teresa volleyball coach

McAtee

Friday, December 22, 2017 | B5

Previous winners 1979 — Mark Sorensen, MacArthur

1998 — Mike Wilks, Eisenhower

1981 — Ellen Crump, Stephen Decatur

2000 — Debbie Kiick, Warrensburg-Latham

1982 — Mike Wilks, Eisenhower

2001 — Jay McAtee, St. Teresa

1983 — Beth Vincent, Blue Mound

2002 — Jay McAtee, St. Teresa

1999 — Suzanne Kreps, Maroa1980 — Linda Slagell, MacArthur Forsyth

1984 — Mary Dalluge, Macon 1985 — Mike Wilks, Eisenhower 1986 — Mary Dalluge, Macon 1987 — Cindy Butkovich, Warrensburg-Latham 1988 — Mike Wilks, Eisenhower 1989 — Mike Wilks, Eisenhower 1990 — Brenda Livingood, Maroa-Forsyth 1991 — Debbie Kiick, Warrensburg-Latham 1992 — Tamette Duckworth, Mount Zion 1993 — Debbie Kiick, Warrensburg-Latham 1994 — Debbie Kiick, Warrensburg-Latham

2003 — Sherry White, Warrensburg-Latham 2004 — Scott Brown/Mike Wilks, MacArthur 2005 — Sherry White, Warrensburg-Latham 2006 — Jay McAtee, St. Teresa 2007 — Elizabeth Morr, LSA 2008 — Sherry White, Warrensburg-Latham 2009 — Jay McAtee, St. Teresa 2010 — Jay McAtee, St. Teresa 2011 — Jay McAtee, St. Teresa 2012 — Karen Wooden, St. Teresa 2013 — Karen Wooden, St. Teresa 2014 — Jamie McCool, MaroaForsyth

1995 — Mike Wilks, Eisenhower

2015 — Sarah Mason, MaroaForsyth

1996 — Nanci Day-LeMaster, Stephen Decatur

2016 — Mindi Logue, ArgentaOreana

1997 — Mary Dalluge, Meridian

2017 — Jay McAtee, Mount Zion

have come a long way and the exciting news is that our top five players are back next year and we can give it another run.”

Witnessing the players’ emotions as the Braves won sectionals this season will stick with McAtee.

“To see the pictures of them just

screaming for joy makes it all worthwhile,” he said. “So it was really enjoyable seeing the girls having so much fun playing a game that they play really well.” mflaten@herald-review.com | (217) 421-6968

‌ ECATUR — Led by Isaiah D Bond’s game-high 28 points, St. Teresa beat Maroa-Forsyth 7043 in first game of the St. Teresa Team Soy Holiday Tournament Thursday.

Along with his high scoring night, Bond topped the 1,000 career point milestone in the first quarter on a 3-pointer.

“Isaiah has been a great worker for us and he is having a great year,” St. Teresa coach Tom Noonan said. “I thought he played a well-rounded game tonight offensively and defensively. We continue to see improvements from him.”

St. Teresa’s offense was potent, jumping out to a 41-16 advantage at the half and never let the Trojans get close in the second.

“I’m really pleased with how our guys played. The energy was really good today,” Noonan said. “We played one of our best halves of a basketball game tonight.”

Noonan also highlighted

LSA 58, Sullivan 44‌

CLAY JACKSON, HERALD & REVIEW‌

St. Teresa’s Isaiah Bond (23) goes to the basket in the second quarter against Maroa-Forsyth during the 2017 St. Teresa Team Soy Holiday Tournament. To see more photos go to www.heraldreview.com/gallery the play of Cayden Brilley who scored 18 points for the Bulldogs. “(Maroa) wanted to play zone on us early in the game but (Cayden) hit five 3-pointers in the first half. He is shooting the

DECATUR — A big third quarter by Grant Karsten pushed the Lions past Sullivan in the St. Teresa Team Soy Holiday Tournament.

Sullivan was hanging around LSA at the half 25-16 until Karsten scored 14 of the Lions’ 23 third-quarter points to push the game out of reach for the Redskins.

“I thought we played well defensively and in spurts offensively,” LSA coach Tom Saunches said. “Grant had a nice night for us and I thought Cam Walls did a good job getting some shots for us.”

Karsten scored a game high 24 points and Walls added nine.

Josh Stutzman scored a teamhigh 22 points for Sullivan.

PREPS SCOREBOARD BOYS BASKETBALL ‌NOKOMIS 69, ST. ELMO/BROWNSTOWN 43 St. Elmo/Brownstown (43) Renzetti 0 0-0 0, Pruett 0 0-0 0, Denton 0 1-2 1, Brown 5 5-5 15, Maxey 6 0-0 16, Goldsborough 2 2-2 7, Philpot 1 0-0 2, Sidwell 0 0-0 0, Himes 0 2-2 2. Totals 14 10-11 43 Nokomis (69) Barnes 1 3-4 5, B. Sabol 6 0-0 12, Engelman 1 0-0 2, McDowell 7 6-6 24, Ransdell 4 2-2 10, Chausse 1 0-0 2, C. Sabol 6 2-4 14, Tosetti 0 0-0 0, Wright 0 0-0 0, Bruder 0 0-0 0, Stewart 0 0-0 0, Janssen 0 0-0 0. Totals 26 13-16 69 St. Elmo/Brownstown 8 5 15 15 — 43 Nokomis 17 14 18 20 — 69 3-pointers — St. Elmo/Brownstown 5 (Maxey 4, Goldsborough).

Nokomis 4 (McDowell 4) For Nokomis, McDowell had 4 steals. Ransdell had 8 assists, 3 steals.

(Nokomis — 6-5. St. Elmo/Brownstown — 9-3.) ‌LSA 58, SULLIVAN 44 LSA (58) Heick 1 1-3 3, Whitehead 1 0-0 3, Karsten 10 1-2 24, Fiala 3 0-0 6, Schaal 1 2-2 4, Todd 1 1-1 3, Guske 3 0-0 6, Havener 0 0-0 0, Walls 2 5-6 9. Totals 22 10-14 58 Sullivan (44) Harlin 2 0-0 4, Is. Plank 0 0-0 0, Sowers 1 0-1 2, Ellis 4 2-2 11, Stutzman 9 3-3 22, Ia. Plank 0 0-0 0, Rogers 0 0-0 0, Kimberlin 1 1-2 3, White 1 0-2 2. Totals 18 6-10 44 LSA 14 9 23 12 — 58 Sullivan 8 8 18 10 — 44 3-pointers — LSA 4 (Karsten 3, Whitehead). Sullivan 2 (Ellis, Stutzman) ‌St. Teresa Team Soy Tournament HEYWORTH 61, BLUE RIDGE 41 Heyworth (61) Bobsin 0 0-0 0, Schultz 3 0-0 7, Cilento 1 0-0 3, Witten 7 1-2 17, Tate Eller 7 4-5 18, Reinthaler 0 0-0 0, McCubbins 5 1-2 13, Moore 1 1-2 3, Wills 0 0-0 0. Totals: 24 7-11 61.

Blue Ridge (41) Burrow 4 1-6 12, Crook 3 0-1 7, Morrow 0 0-0 0, Jamison 0 0-0 0, Houser 4 3-4 11, Winemiller 0 0-0 0, Manuel 0 0-0 0, Gilman 0 0-0 0, Stephens 4 0-0 8, Duggins 1 0-0 3, Jayne 0 0-2 0, Voyles 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16 4-13 41.

Heyworth 17 15 16 13 — 61 Blue Ridge 11 13 9 8 — 41 3-pointers — Heyworth 6 (Witten 2, McCubbins 2, Schultz, Cilento). Blue Ridge 5 (Burrow 3, Crook, Duggins). ‌ST. TERESA 70, MAROA-FORSYTH 43 Maroa-Forsyth (43) Mitchell 0 1-2 1, Livingood 0 0-0 0, Marsh 4 0-0 11, Agee 1 4-6 6, Wilber 2 0-0 4, Mahmood 6 0-0 12, Woodrow 1 0-1 2, Torbert 0 0-0 0, Campell 1 0-0 2, Herz 1 1-4 3, Benner 0 0-0 0, Voelker 0 2-2 2. Totals: 16 8-15 43.

St. Teresa (70) Green 0 2-2 2, Brilley 6 1-1 18, Hogan 0 0-0 0, Finley 0 2-3 2, Osborne 2 0-0 5, Phillips 2 0-0 4, Bond 11 4-6 28, Less 1 0-0 2, Koester 0 0-0 0, Velchek 0 0-0 0, Fitzpatrick 0 0-0 0, Branyan 4 1-2 9. Totals: 26 8-12 70.

Maroa-Forsyth 8 6 13 16 — 43 St. Teresa 21 20 9 20 — 70 3-pointers — Maroa-Forsyth 3 (Marsh 3). St. Teresa 8 (Brilley 5, Bond 2, Osborne). ‌St. Teresa Team Soy Tournament MOUNT PULASKI 59, RIVERTON 55 Mount Pulaski (59) Kretzinger 1 0-1 2, Huff 2 0-0 4, G. Davis 0 0-0 0, Oliver 3 4-6 11, Hayes 0 6-8 6, Murphy 0 0-0 0, Martin 5 5-6 15, J. Davis 0 0-0 0, Taylor 9 3-4 21. Totals 20 18-24 59 Riverton (55) Charles 2 1-2 5, Durham 0 0-0 0, King 5 3-3 14, Moushon 2 0-0

Mason From B1

5, Kendall 0 0-0 0, Heckman 1 0-0 2, Hogan 4 3-5 12, Yoggerst 5 6-8 16. Totals 21 13-18 55 Mount Pulaski 10 14 10 25 — 59 Riverton 23 9 7 16 — 55 3-pointers — Mount Pulaski (Oliver). Riverton 4 (King, Moushon, Hogan, Yoggerst)

GIRLS BASKETBALL ‌SANDOVAL 55, SOUTH CENTRAL 23 South Central (23) Vandygriff 0 1-2 1, Hilmes 5 2-4 15, Blomberg 1 0-0 2, Kollmon 1 0-0 2, Garrett 0 0-2 0, Swift 0 1-2 1, Horton 1 0-1 2. Totals 8 4-11 23 Sandoval (55) Brandt 2 2-7 6, Day 5 1-3 12, Hammer 7 0-2 16, Wilkins 6 7-10 19, Lyons 1 0-0 2. Totals 21 10-22 55 South Central 10 4 6 3 — 23 Sandoval 14 15 18 8 — 55 3-pointers — South Central 3 (Hilmes 3). Sandoval 3 (Hammer 2, Day) (South Central — 2-9, next: Tuesday at Dieterich Holiday Tournament) ‌FITHIAN OAKWOOD 60, ARTHUR-LOVINGTON-ATWOODHAMMOND JV 26 Fithian Oakwood (60) Turner 4 0-0 8, Dowers 1 0-0 2, Blackford 1 1-1 3, Heaton 1 1-2 3, Denius 1 0-0 2, Cox 0 0-0 0, Frerichs 1 0-0 2, Durst 6 1-2 13, Young 11 3-5 27. Totals 25 8-10 60 ALAH JV (26) Tinkle 6 2-2 14, Barbee 2 2-2 6, Mehmen 2 0-0 4, Petersheim 0 0-0 0, Abercrombie 0 0-0 0, Hettinger 0 0-0 0, M. Snyder 0 0-0 0, Nichols 0 0-0 0, A. Snyder 1 0-0 2, Morgan 0 0-0 0, Dolan 0 0-0 0. Totals 11 4-4 26 Fithian Oakwood 21 15 17 7 — 60 ALAH JV 2 12 10 2 — 26 3-pointers — None. ‌CUMBERLAND 32, CHRISMAN 28 OT Cumberland (32) Brown 0 0-0 0, Shobe 1 3-6 5, Williams 0 0-0 0, Scott 0 0-0 0, Sowers 1 2-3 5, Baker 0 1-2 1, Boswell 1 0-0 2, Dunaway 7 0-4 17, Ervin 0 0-0 0, Oakley 1 0-2 2. Totals 11 6-17 32 Chrisman (28) Brinkley 2 0-0 5, Francis 0 1-2 1, Waters 0 2-2 2, Lindsey 2 0-3 6, Francis 1 1-4 3, Mitchell 2 4-8 9, Miller 1 0-0 2. Totals 8 8-19 28 Cumberland 4 6 11 6 5 — 32 Chrisman 11 6 3 7 1 — 28 3-pointers — Cumberland 4 (Dunaway 3, Sowers). Chrisman 4 (Lindsey 2, Brinkley, Mitchell) ‌ST. TERESA 68, SHELBYVILLE 18 Shelbyville (18) Owens 0 0-1 0, Litton 0 0-0 0, Merriman 0 0-0 0, Barnhart 1 2-4 5, Throneburg 0 0-0 0, Danekas 0 0-0 0, Donald 3 0-0 6, Bradbury 0 0-1 0, Beyers 1 0-1 2, Metzger 1 1-2 3, Logue 1 0-0 2, Gambrill 0 0-0 0, Gardner 0 0-0 0, Fox 0 0-0 0. Totals 7 3-9 18 St. Teresa (68) Oladipupo 2 0-0 4, K. Snow 3 0-0 8, Ford 0 1-5 1, Switzer 2 0-2 4, Craft 2 0-0 4, Fyke 7 3-4 17, Peck 4 3-6 11, M. Snow 1 0-0 2, Newbon 4 2-3 10, Peters 3 1-3 7. Totals 28 10-23 68 Shelbyville 7 4 7 0 — 18 St. Teresa 13 18 22 15 — 68 3-pointers — Shelbyville (Barnhart). St. Teresa 2 (K. Snow 2) ‌TUSCOLA 52, OKAW VALLEY 40 Okaw Valley (40) Robinson 9 6-7 26, Vogel 0 1-2 1, N. Jeffers 0 1-2 1, K. Jeffers 2 0-2 4, Ruppert 1 0-0 2, Benning 2 0-0 6. Totals 14 8-13 40 Tuscola (52) Bates 3 5-6 11, L. Russo 3 4-4 10, Dietrich 4 1-2 11, Koester 3 5-6 12, Tabeling 0 0-0 0, Smith 0 0-0 0, Jacob 0 0-0 0, C. Russo 3 2-6 8. Totals 16 17-24 52 Okaw Valley 10 8 7 15 — 40 Tuscola 11 14 13 14 — 52 3-pointers — Okaw Valley 4 (Robinson 2, Benning 2). Tuscola 3

(Dietrich 2, Koester) ‌Knights Classic Holiday Tournament ARTHUR-LOVINGTON-ATWOOD-HAMMOND 49, WINDSOR/STEWARDSON-STRASBURG 31 Arthur (49) Harris 0 0-0 0, Campbell 4 0-0 8, Duzan 0 0-0 0, Bowles 0 0-0 0, Hershberger 8 1-1 18, Carson 0 0-0 0, Wallen 6 1-4 15, Petersheim 2 0-0 4, Schable 2 0-0 4. Totals: 22 2-5 49.

Windsor (31) K. Davis 1 0-0 2, Hayes 2 0-0 4, A. Schlechte 0 0-0 0, M. Schlechte 6 5-8 17, T. Davis 0 1-2 1, Nichols 0 0-0 0, Everett 2 0-0 5, Trussell 1 0-2 2. Totals: 12 6-12 31.

Arthur 11 12 17 9 — 49 Windsor 6 9 9 7 — 31 3-pointers — Arthur 3 (Wallen 2, Hershberger). Windsor (Everett). ‌ARTHUR OKAW CHRISTIAN 29, NORMAL CALVARY CHRISTIAN 12 Arthur Okaw Christian (29) Messmore 2-0-4, Kauffman 3-0-8, Fuller 5-0-10, Mast 0-0-0, Houk 3-1-7. Totals: 13-1-29.

Normal Calvary Christian (12) Wingate 4-0-8, Sturgill 0-0-0, Orns 0-0-0, Jones 0-0-0, Keller 2-0-4. Totals: 6-0-12.

Arthur Okaw Christian 5 4 8 10 — 29 Normal Calvary Christian 0 2 2 8 — 12 3-pointers — Arthur Okaw Christian 2 (Kauffman 2).

SCHEDULE ‌DECEMBER 22 BOYS BASKETBALL Altamont at Shelbyville, 7:30 p.m.

Breese Mater Dei at Olney East Richland, 7:30 p.m.

Charleston at Lincoln, 7:30 p.m.

TEAM SOY TOURNAMENT AT ST. TERESA Game 5 — Sullivan vs. Mount Pulaski, 3 p.m.

Game 6 — Riverton vs. LSA, 4:30 p.m.

Game 7 — Blue Ridge vs. St. Teresa, 6 p.m.

Game 8 — Maroa-Forsyth vs. Heyworth, 7:30 p.m.

Mahomet-Seymour at Effingham, 6 p.m.

Tuscola at Cerro Gordo-Bement, 7:30 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL Knights Classic Holiday Tournament Cumberland vs. Arthur-Lovinton-Atwood-Hammond, 2:30 p.m.

Shelbyville vs. Oakwood, 2:30 p.m.

Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg vs. Chrisman, 4 p.m.

Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond JV vs. St. Teresa, 4 p.m.

Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond vs. Chrisman, 5:30 p.m.

Oakwood vs. St. Teresa, 5:30 p.m.

Cumberland vs. Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg, 7 p.m.

Shelbyville vs. Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond JV, 7 p.m.

Okaw Valley Girls Holiday Tournament Maroa-Forsyth vs. Blue Ridge, 9 a.m.

LSA vs. Okaw Valley, 10:45 p.m.

Mount Zion vs. Maroa-Forsyth, 12:30 p.m.

Martinsville vs. LSA, 2:30 p.m.

Blue Ridge vs. Mt. Zion, 4:15 p.m.

Okaw Valley vs. Martinsville, 6 p.m.

WRESTLING Eisenhower, Olney East Richland, Westville at MahometSeymour, 10 a.m.

DECEMBER 23 BOYS BASKETBALL Effingham St. Anthony at Vandalia Holiday Tournament Maroa-Forsyth at St. Teresa Tournament Shelbyville at Petersburg PORTA, 4 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL Knights Classic Holiday Tournament Pool A 4th Place vs. Pool B 4th Place, 2 p.m.

Pool A 3rd Place vs. Pool B 3rd Place, 3:30 p.m.

Pool A 2nd Place vs. Pool B 2nd Place, 5 p.m.

Pool A 1st Place vs. Pool A 1st Place, 6:30 p.m.

Past winners 1979 — Marsha Bond, MacArthur 1998 — Katie Korte, MaroaForsyth 1980 — Julie DePesa, Eisenhower 1999 — Cynda Derbort, Maroa1981 — Beth Schumacher, Forsyth Stephen Decatur 2000 — Carly Kiick, 1982 — Lori Anderson, Blue Warrensburg-Latham Mound 2001 — Darci Streckfuss, 1983 — Lori Anderson, Blue Warrensburg-Latham Mound 2002 — Leanne Kreps, MaroaForsyth 1984 — Kathy Deardorff, Eisenhower 2003 — Allison Weber, Warrensburg-Latham 1985 — Tina Holder, Macon

team we had this year was so fun.

We all love each other so much,” Carly said. “We are friends first off the court. I wouldn’t trade this season for anything even though it didn’t go as we wanted to.”

Mason will head to Belmont University in Nashville next fall to play volleyball for the Bruins.

Her older sister Bailey, who won the 2014 Herald & Review County Player of the Year award, 1986 — Tina Holder, Macon plays at Middle Tennessee State University.

1987 — Jeannie Murray, Macon Sarah, who had tremendous 1988 — Liz Bell, Eisenhower success at Maroa in her three 1989 — Carri Hamilton, seasons with a 90-21 record, reEisenhower signed as coach Dec. 11 and the entire Mason clan will be moving 1990 — Stacey Dodd, Maroato Tennessee over the summer.

Forsyth “Unfortunately it came down 1991 — Deb Pope, Maroa-Forsyth to I would regret missing Carly and my middle daughter, who is 1992 — La Toya Johnson, going to be a senior, and I would Eisenhower miss out on them playing,” Sarah 1993 — Jennifer Harris, said. “I didn’t want to be pulled Warrensburg-Latham in two directions. Family always comes first so I it was something 1994 — Sherry Austin, I had to do even though I do it Warrensburg-Latham regretfully.

1995 — K.C. Hammond, Although the parent/student Eisenhower coaching dynamic can be tricky, 1996 — Kristy Duncan, Carly is glad she got the opWarrensburg-Latham portunity to be coached by her mother.

1997 — Nikki Stemler, Maroa“She has taught me everything Forsyth I know about volleyball,” Carly said. “She was the first to put a volleyball in my hands so I’ve to volleyball. I’m very grateful always sort of thought of her as that she has been able to coach a coach or mentor when it comes these past three years.”

2004 — Allison Weber, Warrensburg-Latham 2005 — Mallory Leggett, MaroaForsyth 2006 — Mallory Leggett, MaroaForsyth 2007 — Rachel Hockaday, Maroa-Forsyth 2008 — Morganne Criswell, LSA 2009 — Morganne Criswell, LSA 2010 — Morganne Criswell, LSA 2011 — Marie Less, St. Teresa 2012 — Marie Less, St. Teresa 2013 — Marie Less, St. Teresa 2014 — Bailey Mason, MaroaForsyth 2015 — Kylie Rudsinski, MaroaForsyth 2016 — Erin Ripple, Mount Zion 2017 — Carly Mason, MaroaForsyth mflaten@herald-review.com | (217) 421-6968

WEATHER

B6 | Friday, December 22, 2017

Decatur Herald & Review

BETTER SURVIVAL RATES. BETTER HEART CARE OUTCOMES.

DMH IS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED

FOR MORE INFORMATION

CALL 217-876-2400

For the sixth year, Decatur Memorial Hospital has been named One of the Nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals.

OR VISIT dmhcares.com

Identified from more than 1,000 U.S. hospitals, the Watson Health 50 ® Top Cardiovascular Hospitals annual study program recognizes DMH as one of the highest-performing hospitals in the nation through analysis of performance in care, efficiency and community value.

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WCIA four-day forecast

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Your 24-hour forecast from WCIA

TODAY

TONIGHT

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Cloudy Winds NW 5-10

Cloudy Winds NNW 5-10

Partly Sunny and Colder

Partly Sunny and Cold

Partly Sunny and Cold

Hi 44°

Lo 30°

Hi 36° Lo 21°

Hi 31° Lo 19°

Hi 33° Lo 21°

Temperatures will remain mild today, but will cool down for the Christmas weekend. Precipitation will be kept to a minimum.

herald-review.com | Up-to-the-minute forecast and expanded weather | #CentralILWeather YESTERDAY’S ALMANAC

LOCAL LAKE LEVELS

Decatur Temperatures

Clinton Lake

High…..………………………………….... 51° Low…………………………………………. 24° Average High…………………………... 38° Average Low………..………………….. 22° High Last Year……………….………... 42° Low Last Year…………………………. 20° Record High…………...…… 64° (1967) Record Low………..…………. -16° (1989)

Precipitation

Winter Summer

Normal Pool Level 690.00 690.00

-10s

-0s

0s

10s

Yesterday………………………..……….. 27 Month to Date……..................... 582 Season to Date………………........ 1462 Season to Date Last Year………. 1551

Central Illinois City Flora Hillsboro Mattoon Olney Salem Shelbyville Sullivan Vandalia

Hi 56 53 51 53 56 53 51 55

(As of 4 pm)

Low 29 31 25 28 30 28 25 30

Prec.

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

20s

30s

40s

50s

60s

70s

80s

90s

100s

110s

688.49

Yesterday’s Level

Seattle

Lake Shelbyville

Shown is this afternoons weather.

Temperature bands are highs for the day.

Rockford

36 / 24

38 / 27

Normal Pool Level 594.00 599.70

37 / 22

599.87

Yesterday’s Level

Jet Stream

Boston

Lake Decatur

Tree

Chicago

Peoria

New York

Denver

Cold Front

Wash. DC

Kansas City St. Louis

Phoenix

Grass

Houston

Lower 48 Extremes

Low

Mod

High

Hi 30 44 40 27 56 61 52 68 53 20 66 20 35 35 36 23 22 70 61 60 35 38

Lo 29 23 21 25 46 56 47 42 45 2 59 4 26 33 33 23 4 52 49 50 12 27

Weather SNOW SUNNY PTCLDY MOCLDY MOCLDY CLOUDY RAIN SHWRS MOCLDY SNOW CLOUDY MOCLDY MOCLDY SNOW SNOW SNOW MOCLDY PTCLDY SHWRS MOCLDY PTCLDY CLOUDY

Decatur

Springfield

Effingham

50 / 33

St Louis Miami

High: 85° Edinburg, Texas

Occluded Front

Low: -18° Crosby, North Dakota

45 / 30

44 / 30

43 / 30

46 / 32

Carbondale

TODAY’S NATIONAL CITIES FORECAST

City Albany NY Albuquerque Amarillo SUN AND MOON Anchorage Asheville Atlanta Atlantic City First Full Last New Dec 26 Jan 1 Jan 8 Jan 16 Austin Baltimore Rises Today Sets Billings Sun 7:14 AM 4:35 PM Birmingham Moon 10:09 AM 8:45 PM Bismarck Boise AIR QUALITY INDEX Boston Buffalo Burlington VT Casper Charleston SC Charleston WV VU U G M MU Charlotte G = Good, M = Moderate, MU = Moderately Cheyenne Unhealthy, U = Unhealthy, VU = Very Unhealthy Chicago

Champaign

Stationary Front

Jet Stream

Mold

42 / 28

Quincy

39 / 25

Atlanta

Dallas

Bloomington

41 / 26

Warm Front

Los Angeles

Weed

Chicago

Quad-Cities

Last 24 Hours as of 4 pm…….... 0.00” Normal Pool Level 612.50 614.30 Month to Date…………………...... 0.12” 613.20 Normal Month to Date………..…. 1.91” Yesterday’s Level Year to Date…………………..…... 35.66” Normal Year to Date………...... 40.72” POLLEN FORECAST Record Daily Precip….... 2.19 (1949)

Heating Degree Days

TODAY’S REGIONAL FORECAST

TODAY’S NATIONAL FORECAST

Evansville

54 / 36

City Cincinnati Cleveland Columbus OH Concord NH Dallas Daytona Beach Denver Des Moines Detroit Duluth El Paso Fairbanks Fargo Flagstaff Fort Wayne Green Bay Greensboro Hartford Honolulu Houston Indianapolis Jackson MS

Hi 58 48 55 25 49 77 40 32 38 21 50 18 21 43 43 32 55 32 79 79 53 78

Lo 41 37 42 23 36 57 14 18 31 3 29 9 2 16 31 17 46 29 67 50 35 60

Weather RAIN RAIN RAIN SNOW SHWRS PTCLDY PTCLDY MOCLDY CLOUDY MOCLDY PTCLDY SUNNY SNOW SUNNY DRZL SNOW MOCLDY SNOW SUNNY SHWRS CLOUDY MOCLDY

City Jacksonville Juneau Kansas City Knoxville Las Vegas Little Rock Los Angeles Louisville Madison McAllen Memphis Miami Milwaukee Minneapolis Montgomery Nashville New Orleans New York City Norfolk Oklahoma City Omaha Orlando

Hi 71 31 35 59 52 62 67 60 32 86 65 80 35 24 71 63 78 46 61 40 32 81

Lo 55 20 22 53 35 43 44 44 20 61 44 70 24 9 61 52 61 43 51 28 17 61

Weather MOCLDY PTCLDY MOCLDY SHWRS SUNNY SHWRS SUNNY SHWRS CLOUDY MOCLDY SHWRS PTCLDY CLOUDY MOCLDY SHWRS SHWRS MOCLDY MOCLDY SHWRS CLOUDY PTCLDY PTCLDY

City Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Portland ME Portland OR Reno Sacramento Salt Lake City San Antonio San Diego San Francisco Santa Fe Seattle Springfield MO St. Louis Tampa Tulsa Topeka Tucson Washington DC Wichita Yuma

Hi 51 60 54 26 38 45 54 36 70 65 58 39 42 42 46 79 43 36 54 55 38 63

Lo 45 39 44 22 30 23 35 28 45 48 40 18 31 27 32 64 29 21 31 47 20 41

Weather MOCLDY SUNNY RAIN SNOW RAIN PTCLDY PTCLDY MOCLDY SHWRS SUNNY SUNNY SUNNY RNSNOW RAIN CLOUDY PTCLDY CLOUDY MOCLDY SUNNY MOCLDY MOCLDY SUNNY

56 / 38

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

Regional Discussion: A cold front will slide southeastward across the region today. An area of low pressure will move northeastward along this front and help to spread rain into southern Illinois this afternoon into this evening and tonight. There will be a large spread in temperatures with highs ranging from the upper 30s north to the low to mid 50s across parts of far southern Illinois.

Chicago Forecast: Cloudy today and tonight. High around 38.

Low around 27. Winds N 5-10 mph.

St. Louis Forecast: Cloudy today with a chance of rain tonight.

High around 46. Low around 32. Winds NNW 3-8 mph.

Forecast and Graphics provided by:

HERALD & REVIEW ALMANAC

In 1910, a fire lasting more than 26 hours broke out at the Chicago Union Stock Yards; 21 firefighters were killed in the collapse of a burning building. ‌ n Dec. 22: O In 1775, Esek Hopkins was appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Navy.

In 1894, French army officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted of treason in a court-martial that triggered worldwide charges of anti-Semitism. (Dreyfus was eventually vindicated.)

In 1910, a fire lasting more than 26 hours broke out at the Chicago Union Stock Yards; 21 firefighters were killed in the collapse of a burning building.

In 1917, Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, who later became the first naturalized U.S. citizen to be canonized, died in Chicago at age 67.

In 1937, the first, center tube of the Lincoln Tunnel connecting New York City and New Jersey beneath the Hudson River was opened to traffic. (The second tube opened in 1945, the third in 1957.)

In 1940, author Nathanael West, 37, and his wife, Eileen McKenney, were killed in a car crash in El Centro, California, while en route to the funeral of F. Scott Fitzgerald, who had died the day before.

In 1968, Julie Nixon married David Eisenhower in a private ceremony in New York.

In 1977, three dozen people were killed when a 250-foot-high grain

Find your history in our pages Visit herald-review.com/archives to explore more than 1 million historical pages, photos and articles from the Herald & Review and other newspapers elevator at the Continental Grain Company plant in Westwego, Louisiana, exploded.

In 1989, Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu, the last of Eastern Europe’s hard-line Communist rulers, was toppled from power in a popular uprising.

Playwright Samuel Beckett died in Paris at age 83.

In 1991, the body of Marine Lt. Col. William R. Higgins, an American hostage slain by his terrorist captors, was recovered after it had been dumped along a highway in Lebanon.

In 2001, Richard C. Reid, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami, tried to ignite explosives in his shoes, but was subdued by flight attendants and fellow passengers. (Reid is serving a life sentence in federal prison.)

In 2007, a jury in Riverhead, New York, convicted John White, a black man, of second-degree

In 1968, Julie Nixon married David Eisenhower in a private ceremony in New York. manslaughter in the shooting death of Daniel Cicciaro, a white teenager, during a confrontation outside White’s house. (The 17-year-old was shot in the face after he showed up with two carloads of friends to confront White’s son after a dispute at a party. White, who said the shooting was an accident, was later sentenced to two to four years in prison, but had his sentence commuted by New York Gov. David Paterson after five months.)

In 2010, President Barack

H&R FILE PHOTO‌

HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK 1986: Second-year apprentices Steven Peters, left, and Kevin Roberts mount a display sink in the Plumbers, Pipefitters and Steamfitters apprentice school.

Obama signed a law allowing gays for the first time in history to serve openly in America’s military, repealing the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

In 2012, the late U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye was praised as a humble leader who embodied honor, dignity and duty during a public visitation at Hawaii’s state Capitol, five days after his death at age 88.

Egypt’s Islamist-backed constitution received a “yes” majority in

a final round of voting on a referendum that saw a low voter turnout. A suicide bomber in Pakistan killed nine people, including a provincial government official, at a political rally held by a party that had opposed the Taliban.

In 2016, President-elect Donald Trump named close adviser Kellyanne Conway as his White House counselor and former Republican National Committee spokesman Sean Spicer as press secretary. The

Syrian government took full control of the city of Aleppo for the first time in four years after the last opposition fighters and civilians were bused out of war-ravaged eastern districts, ending a brutal chapter in Syria’s civil war.

Thought for today: “Those wearing tolerance for a label call other views intolerable.”

— Phyllis McGinley, American poet and author M (1905-1978) 1

YOUR MONEY Friday, December 22, 2017 | herald-review.com/business | SECTION C

ON BIZ

Collecting stuff leads to business ‌ T reasure-seekers have another place to explore.

Junk & Disorderly Antiques and Collectibles recently celebrated its grand opening at 140. E. Cerro Gordo St. in Decatur.

“I don’t have one thing that I search for,” owner Dawn Summers said. “It’s whatever catches my eye.”

That method of collecting stuff for resale guarentees a variety of items to choose from.

Inventory ranges from antiques, to furniture, SCOTT glassware, knickknacks PERRY and more.

Summer also provides a sales venue for locally made lotions, soaps and bath bombs, as well as refurbished stuff provided by Rusty Relics.

“I’ve always like to collect stuff, , refurbish furniture and messing with stuff,” Summers said. “Now I have a place to sell it.”

As an added bonus this weekend, Santa will be at the store from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. But he won’t be driving a sleigh. Instead, he will be hanging out and taking pictures in a 1950 Chevy.

Store hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays.

Call (217) 707-0675.

Check them out on Facebook. *** First Mid-Illinois Bancshares, Inc. has announced a definitive agreement to acquire all of the outstanding shares of First Bank, the holding company for First Bank & Trust.

“The acquisition of First Bank deepens our presence in the attractive Champaign-Urbana market and provides expanded opportunities in adjacent counties,” said Joe Dively, Frist Mid’s chairman and chief executive officer. “First Bank has a long history of providing excellent service with a community-minded focus and the merged organizations will be even stronger.”

The transaction has been unanimously approved by each company’s board of directors and is expected to close in mid-2018, subject to regulatory approvals, the approval of First Bank’s stockholders and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

Following completion of the transaction, First Mid is expected to have approximately $3.3 billion in total assets. In addition, First Mid currently operates a wealth and trust management business with approximately $1.5 billion in assets under management and an insurance business with $3.5 million in annual revenue.

Have you opened a business? Have you expanded or moved to a new location?

Have you taken ownership of an existing business? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need to contact Scott Perry at sperry@herald-review.com or call (217)421-7976.

Papa John out as CEO JOSEPH PISANI

Associated Press‌

‌NEW YORK — Papa John’s founder John Schnatter will step down as CEO next month, about two months after he publicly criticized the NFL leadership over national anthem protests by football players — comments for which the company later apologized.

Schnatter will be replaced as chief executive by Chief Operating Officer Steve Ritchie on Jan. 1, the company announced Thursday.

Schnatter, who appears in the chain’s commercials and on its pizza boxes, and is the company’s biggest shareholder, remains chairman of the board.

Schnatter Earlier this year, Schnatter blamed slowing sales growth at Papa John’s — an NFL sponsor and advertiser — on the outcry surrounding players kneeling during the national anthem. Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick had kneeled during the national anthem to protest what he said was police mistreatment of black men, and other players started kneeling as well.

“The controversy is polarizing the customer, polarizing the country,” Schnatter said during a conference call about the company’s earnings on Nov. 1.

M 1

Please see PAPA JOHN, Page C2

Poll: Health care a concern EMILY SWANSON AND RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR

Associated Press‌

WASHINGTON — As President ‌ Donald Trump completes his first year in office, Americans are increasingly concerned about health care, and their faith that government can fix it has fallen.

A new poll by The Associated PressNORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that 48 percent named health care as a top problem for the government to focus on in the next year, up 17 points in the last two years.

The poll allows Americans to name up to five priorities and found a wide range of top concerns, including taxes, immigration and the environment. But aside from health care, no single issue was named by more than 31 percent.

And seven in 10 of those who named health care as a top problem said they had little to no confidence that govern-

ment can improve matters. The public was less pessimistic in last year’s edition of the poll, when just over half said they lacked confidence in the problem-solving ability of lawmakers and government institutions.

“We are way up there on the cost, and as far as giving good health care, we are way down,” said Rebekah Bustamante of San Antonio, a retired medical imaging technician. “Now in health care, you’re a number.”

Bustamante said she voted for Trump, but “he’s learning on the job, and he’s got a long way to go.”

Trump initially promised his own plan that would deliver “insurance for everybody” and “great” health care, “much less expensive and much better.”

But the White House never released a MANUEL BALCE CENETA, ASSOCIATED PRESS‌ health care proposal from the presiRetired family physician Jay Brock of Fredericksburg, Va., joins other protesters dent. against the Republican health care bill July 17 outside the office of Senate Majority Please see HEALTH, Page C2 Leader Mitch McConnell on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Government spending boosts US economy MARTIN CRUTSINGER

Associated Press‌

‌WASHINGTON — The U.S. economy grew at a solid 3.2 percent annual rate from July through September, slightly slower than previously estimated but still enough to give the country the best back-to-back quarterly growth rates in three years.

The figure was revised down from last month’s estimate of 3.3 percent, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. The change reflected a bit less spending by consumers, which was offset somewhat by increased spending by state and local governments.

Still, the 3.2 percent growth followed a 3.1 percent gain in the second quarter, the first consecutive quarters that growth has topped 3 percent since 2014.

President Donald Trump has pointed to these gains as evidence his economic program is producing results. Many economists believe GDP growth this quarter could hit 3 percent or better.

Congress this week passed a major tax overhaul, giving Trump the biggest legislative achievement of his first year in office. Economists believe the proposal will boost growth temporarily in 2018 and possibly 2019. But then they forecast that the positive effects will fade, with slower growth going forward due to higher interest rates stemming from the bigger government deficits.

But at the moment, economists are optimistic about growth prospects. The Federal Reserve’s Atlanta regional bank is forecasting GDP growth could hit 3.3 percent this quarter. If GDP does top 3 percent, it would mark the first time that has occurred since three quarters in late 2004 and early 2005.

Trump has predicted the tax cuts will be “rocket fuel” for the economy and many economists are looking for a growth spurt next year.

“The economy is rock solid for now and with fiscal stimulus kicking in next month, the economy’s afterburners could put this economy’s rocketing growth rate into even higher orbit,” Chris

CLAY JACKSON, HERALD & REVIEW‌

The elaborate light display at LIFE Foursquare Church includes 40,000 lights that are a mixture of LED and incandescent bulbs, as well as music and a walking trail.

Lights lead the way to award LIFE Foursquare wins Decatur beautification honors DONNETTE BECKETT

Herald & Review‌

‌DECATUR — Those traveling near LIFE Foursquare Church on Decatur’s northeast side can’t help but notice the bright display, complete with dancing lights and Christmas scenes.

These special features helped the church win this year’s “Let’s Keep Decatur Merry” competition sponsored by the Beautify Decatur Coalition.

The church was awarded a pine wreath with silver, gold and white decorations on Wednesday. “It is a winter wreath you can put it on the door or wherever,” said Jill Davis, co-chair of Beautify Decatur Coalition. “It should last all winter.”

For six years, the church’s lighting display has been a popular attraction for the community. Along with 40,000 spectacular lights with a mixture of LED and incandescent bulbs, other features include music and a walking

trail.Steve Holm, associate minister for Life Foursquare Church, is proud of the trampled grass around the display. “They can go out on the trail and walk around,” he said.

Mark Cooper, lead pastor for the church, credits Holm for the elaborate light show. Cooper has witnessed cars stopping for several minutes just to watch the blinking and moving lights.

“All night we have cars in and out,” he said. “But we don’t have anyway of tracking how many.”

Cooper hopes the display will remind people of the season. “First, Christmas is about the birth of our Lord, Jesus,” he said. “And that we love our community.”Davis said the church won because of the display’s “wow” impact.

“It contributes to the beauty of the community and is a benefit for Decatur,” she said. The church display draws visitors from surrounding communities to Decatur during the holidays.The coalition focuses on the cleanliness and beautification of Decatur and the area.

They felt outdoor areas are sometimes neglected because of the cold weather.

To keep the beautification momentum

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Name

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52-wk Hi Lo

dbeckett@herald-review.com| (217) 421-6983 More online :See an aerial video of

the LIFE Foursquare decorations and photos of other Decatur mega-light displays with this story at heraldreview.com.

Please see SPENDING, Page C2

MARKET REPORT

MARKET REPORT 52-wk Hi Lo

going, the coalition created “Let’s Keep Decatur Merry,” a competition for local businesses.

To be nominated, Beautify Decatur Coalition’s Facebook visitors recommend or simply comment on a business or organization’s outdoor display.

Davis and co-chair Susan Avery travel the city studying the nominees for the winter contest.

“This is a low-key, fun competition,” Davis said.

Although the display takes weeks and many hands to create, Holm enjoys the work. “We start in mid-October,” he said. “I have a great crew.”

The daily display is lit from 5 to 10 p.m. It is scheduled to come down on Dec. 31. “But if it’s bad weather, I’ll just let it go until I take it down,” Holm said. “And the tear-down takes weeks.”

Last

Chg.

73.85 56.52 DowDuPnt 71.64 67.84 49.63 EQT Corp 55.42 13.85 8.01 EnCana g 12.54 93.95 61.36 EnPro 94.05 12.04 4.10 ENSCO 5.60 42.67 33.30 Exelon 39.07 91.34 76.05 ExxonMbl 83.85 184.25114.77 Facebook 177.45 55.35 39.79 Fastenal 54.11 32.88 27.33 FstBusey rs 31.25 19.23 14.02 FstData n 16.42 25.86 20.50 FMidBc 24.64 13.27 10.47 FordM 12.63 17.68 11.05 FrptMcM 18.18 11.79 4.63 GNC 3.77 32.04 17.36 GenElec 17.47 37.20 28.81 Goodyear 32.57 22.67 14.40 HP Inc 21.25 58.78 38.18 Hallibrtn 48.17 187.90133.05 HomeDp 188.08 96.23 74.35 IngerRd 90.38 47.64 33.23 Intel 46.76 182.79139.13 IBM 151.50 58.96 49.60 IntPap 57.48 108.40 81.64 JPMorgCh 107.83 23.01 16.68 KindMorg 18.07 53.83 35.16 Kohls 53.47 35.27 19.69 Kroger s 27.55 3.30 1.75 Lee Ent 2.40 78.74 61.45 LincNat 77.94 6.68 1.70 LI IcedT n 6.91 90.94 70.49 Lowes 90.73 5.75 .29 MagneG rs .39 18.29 10.55 MarathnO 17.05 8.33 5.56 McDrmInt 6.85 175.78118.18 McDnlds 171.85 66.80 53.63 Merck 56.60 44.42 49.89 20.19 MicronT 87.50 61.95 Microsoft 85.50 54.20 40.06 MorgStan 52.89 14.02 10.84 MuellerWat 12.63 18.40 5.32 Nabors 6.54 24.98 2.56 NetElem rs 18.75

Name

+.37 +1.20 +.48 +.66 +.23 +.03 +.98 -.44 +.56 +.25 +.25 +.30 -.09 +.52 -1.13 +.02 +.15 -.21 +.75 +.77 +3.17 -.80 -1.45 -.49 +1.69 +.31 +.34 +.23 ... +.53 +4.47 +.54 +.07 +.73 +.32 -.32 +.49 -1.33 -.02 +.38 +.04 +.32 -.64

52-wk Hi Lo

Last

Chg.

65.19 50.35 NikeB s 64.77 7.80 3.14 NobleCorp 4.17 145.43105.89 NorflkSo 144.28 4.17 1.01 Nxt-ID rs 4.40 16.42 6.69 OasisPet 8.18 53.14 38.30 Oracle 47.28 71.57 49.83 PG&E Cp 44.50 119.85 94.46 PPG s 116.18 40.20 31.53 PPL Corp 31.19 3.75 .50 Paretem rs 1.38 8.80 2.35 Penney 3.03 119.74101.06 PepsiCo 118.26 37.35 30.90 Pfizer 36.24 123.55 89.97 PhilipMor 104.78 94.67 83.24 ProctGam 91.67 5.26 .63 RadiSys 1.19 17.53 13.00 RegionsFn 17.49 46.20 2.69 RiotBlck 27.60 8.77 1.38 RiteAid 1.99 87.84 61.02 Schlmbrg 67.86 14.32 3.62 SearsHldgs 3.78 5.89 4.40 SiriusXM 5.27 29.44 11.28 SnapInc A n 15.37 11.35 4.90 SwstnEngy 5.34 9.65 5.42 Sprint 5.62 49.56 13.53 Square n 35.87 88.00 61.25 Stericycle 68.83 244.23173.55 3M Co 234.78 16.16 7.20 Transocn 10.19 35.86 24.81 21stCFoxA 35.11 25.49 14.12 Twitter 25.05 16.03 6.90 Unisys 8.20 125.16102.12 UPS B 118.58 41.83 18.55 USSteel 35.67 22.81 8.31 ValeantPh 21.67 9.12 7.44 Vereit 7.76 54.83 42.80 VerizonCm 53.01 46.72 22.13 ViacomB 31.76 100.13 65.28 WalMart 98.06 88.00 63.82 WalgBoots 73.25 7.09 3.08 WeathfIntl 3.88 61.27 49.27 WellsFargo 61.61 202.99158.80 Whrlpl 169.61

Name

+1.18 +.17 -.56 +1.22 +.22 -.62 -6.62 +.02 -.40 -.16 -.02 -.76 -.22 +.41 +.14 +.33 +.24 -8.52 +.06 +2.58 -.02 +.01 -.13 +.17 +.04 +.21 +.07 -2.14 +.49 +.84 -.15 +.10 +.25 +1.30 +.78 ... +.24 +.57 -.69 +.53 +.13 +1.47 +4.73

FOOTNOTES: g - Dividends and earnings in Canadian dollars. h - Does not meet continued-listing standards. lf - Late filing with SEC. n - Stock was a new issue in the last year. rs - Stock has undergone a reverse stock split of at least 50% within the past year. s - Stock has split by at least 20 percent within the last year.

p

DOW (Industrials)

24,782.29 +55.64

Cash prices

Livestock futures

‌Grain markets Decatur area prices supplied by ADM Growmark-Tabor & Co.

Prices supplied by the USDA Eastern Cornbelt Negotiated Price Range Weighted average

$43.50 to $48.50 $45.48

119.60 118.95 120.00 111.85 108.47 109.32 111.42 112.42 112.45

119.87 119.87 120.67 112.70 109.17 110.00 111.72 112.92 112.87

118.75 118.45 119.50 111.52 108.12 109.00 110.72 112.00 112.00

119.62 119.67 120.57 112.37 108.82 109.72 111.50 112.77 112.80

+.22 +.72 +.62 +.57 +.57 +.57 +.25 +.10 +.15

62,584 333,361, down -1296

FEEDER CATTLE 50,000 lbs.- cents per lb.

Index Name Close Chg. Dow Jones Industrials 24782.29 +55.64 NYSE Composite 12800.22 +52.67 NASD Composite 6965.36 +4.40 Spot commodity prices: Nasd Global Select 3273.65 +3.22 Prev.

Week S&P 500 2684.57 +5.32 Close Day Ago S&P Midcap 1905.18 +5.22 $1264.55 $1264.55 $1251.00 Wilshire 5000 27876.70 +68.27 Gold $16.200 $16.210 $15.840 Value Line Arithmetic 6111.35 +23.51 Silver $3.1945 $3.1715 $3.0485 Value Line Geometric 564.24 +2.07 Copper Aluminum $0.9489 $0.9348 $0.9057

Metals

Bonds

Energy

Key barometers in the Treasury market.

Federal Funds 3-month bill 1-year bill 10-year rate 30-year bond

WHEAT 5,000 bu minimum- cents per bushel

40,000 lbs.- cents per lb.

Dec 17 Feb 18 Apr 18 Jun 18 Aug 18 Oct 18 Dec 18 Feb 19 Apr 19

Wed’s sales Wed’s open int

Daily indexes

Yield Prev.

1.25-1.50 1.00-1.25 1.32 1.36 1.65 1.65 2.48 2.50 2.84 2.88

CATTLE

Corn $3.51 Beans $9.39

Hogs

Spot commodity prices on the New York Mercantile Exchange: Close Chg.

C‌ rude oil Gasoline Natural gas

58.36 1.7476 2.598

+0.27 +0.123 -0.039

Grain futures

Chicago (AP) - Futures trading on the Chicago Chicago (AP) - Futures trading on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange: Board of Trade: Open High Low Settle Change Open High Low SettleChange

Jan 18 Mar 18 Apr 18 May 18 Aug 18 Sep 18 Oct 18 Nov 18

142.10 139.87 140.50 140.85 144.27 144.25 143.90

143.17 140.77 141.60 141.67 145.02 144.47 143.90

Wed’s sales Wed’s open int

141.05 138.80 139.75 139.82 143.17 143.65 143.07

142.92 140.40 141.10 141.02 144.45 143.67 143.42 143.32

+1.15 +.65 +.65 +.47 +.45 +.12 -.20 -.15

19,226 54,082, down -75

HOGS-Lean 40,000 lbs.- cents per lb.

Feb 18 Apr 18 May 18 Jun 18 Jul 18 Aug 18 Oct 18 Dec 18 Feb 19 Apr 19 May 19 Jun 19

68.60 73.00 78.57 82.57 82.90 82.67 69.32 63.85

69.30 73.57 78.57 82.87 83.10 83.10 69.60 63.90

Wed’s sales Wed’s open int

68.15 72.77 78.25 82.27 82.55 82.50 69.20 63.60

68.57 73.07 78.30 82.62 82.87 82.77 69.35 63.67 66.60 70.12 77.90 80.65

+.20 +.12 +.28 +.12 +.15 +.15 +.13 +.05 +.08 +.07 +.08 +.08

27,081 227,801, up +775

Mar 18 424 427.50 422.50 427 May 18 436.50 439.50 434.75 439 Jul 18 450 453 448.50 451.75 Sep 18 463 465.75 461.50 463.75 Dec 18 479.75 482.25 478.25 479.50 Mar 19 492.50 495 491.25 491.25 May 19 498.25 Wed’s sales Wed’s open int

+3.50 +2.75 +1.75 +1 -1.50 -3

88,069 533,580, down -3700

CORN 5,000 bu minimum- cents per bushel Mar 18 349 351.75 348.50 351.25 +2 May 18 357.25 360 357 359.50 +2 Jul 18 366 368.50 365.50 367.75 +1.75 Sep 18 373 375.75 372.50 375 +1.50 Dec 18 382.25 384.75 381.50 383.75 +1.25 Mar 19 392 394.25 391 393.25 +1 May 19 398.75 400.50 398 399.75 +1 Wed’s sales Wed’s open int

200,045 1,560,205, up +10283

OATS 5,000 bu minimum- cents per bushel Mar 18 244.50 245.75 242.75 244 -1 May 18 250.25 251.50 249.50 250 -1.50 Jul 18 257.25 257.50 256.75 257.50 -2.25 Sep 18 259.50 -2.25 Dec 18 261.50 -2.25 Mar 19 261.50 -2.25 May 19 261.50 -2.25 Wed’s sales Wed’s open int

276 6,410, down -115

SOYBEANS 5,000 bu minimum- cents per bushel Jan 18 Mar 18 May 18 Jul 18 Aug 18 Sep 18 Nov 18

953.50 964 975.50 986 987.50 983.50 975

956.75 967.50 978.50 988.75 987.50 983.50 978

Wed’s sales Wed’s open int

947.50 958 969.25 979.75 982.75 975.75 970

948.75 959 970.50 981 983.50 976.75 971.50

-5.25 -5.50 -5.50 -5.50 -4.75 -4.75 -4.50

283,102 767,776, up +9711

C2

YOUR MONEY

| Friday, december 22, 2017

Decatur HeralD & review

TECHNOLOGY | SaFeTy TiPS

Holiday hack: Gifts pose security risks JOSEPH PISANI | Associated Press

T

he toys your kids unwrap this Christmas could invite hackers into your home. That Grinchlike warning comes from the FBI, which said earlier this year that toys connected to the internet could be a target for crooks who may listen in on conversations or use them to steal a child’s personal information.

The bureau did not name any specific toys or brands, but it said any internet-connected toys with microphones, cameras or location tracking may put a child’s privacy or safety at risk. That could be a talking doll or a tablet designed for kids. And because some of the toys are being rushed to be made and sold, the FBI said security safeguards might be overlooked.

Security experts said the only way to prevent a hack is to not keep the toy.

But if you decide to let a kid play with it, there are ways to reduce the risks.

Below, some tips:

Research

Before opening a toy, search for it online and read reviews to see if there are any complaints or past security problems. If there have been previous issues, you may want to rethink keeping it. Reputable companies will also explain how information is collected from the toy or device, how that data is stored and who has access to it.

Usually that type of information is found on the company’s website, typically under its privacy policy. If you can’t find it, call the company. If there isn’t a policy, that’s a bad sign.

“You shouldn’t use it,” said Behnam Dayanim, a partner at Paul Hastings in Washington and co-chair of the law firm’s privacy and cybersecurity practice. Companies can change their privacy policies, so read them again if you’re notified of a change.

Use secure Wi-Fi

Make sure the Wi-Fi the toy will be connected to is secure and has a hard-to-guess password. Weak passwords make it easier for hackers to access devices that use a Wi-Fi network. Never connect the toy to free Wi-Fi that’s open to the public. And if the toy itself allows you to create a password, do it.

Don’t give away info

Be vigilant

If the toy or device allows kids to chat with other people playing with the same toy or game, explain to children that they can’t give out personal information, said Liz Brown, a business law professor at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts, who focuses on technology and privacy law.

Discussions are not enough: Check the chat section to make sure children aren’t sending things they shouldn’t be, Brown said.

People could be pretending to be kids to get personal information. “It can get creepy pretty fast,” said Brown.

Reputable companies that make toys with microphones will offer ways for parents to review and delete stored information. Take advantage of that.

Power it off

When the toy is not being used, shut it off or unplug it so it stops collecting data.

“They become less of an attractive target,” said Brill said.

And if the item has a camera, face it toward a wall or cover it with a piece of tape when it’s not being used. Toys with microphones can be thrown in a chest or drawer where it’s harder to hear conversations, Brill said.

A software update may fix security holes, and you don’t want to miss that fix. But when registering, be stingy with the information you hand over; all they need is contact information to let you know about the update.

If they require other information, such as a child’s birthday, make one up. “You’re not under oath,” said Alan Brill, who is a cybersecurity and investigations managing director at consulting firm Kroll in Secaucus, New Jersey.

“You can lie.”

Report breaches

If a toy was compromised by a hacker, the FBI recommends reporting it online through its internet crime complaint center at IC3.gov.

Health From C1

GOP legislation to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama’s health care law failed in Congress, although the tax bill scraps the Obama requirement that most people get health insurance. Bloodied on both sides, Republicans and Democrats seem to have battled to an uneasy draw on health care.

Meanwhile, conflicting policy signals from Washington, including an abrupt White House decision to cancel insurer subsidies, roiled insurance markets.

Premiums on health plans purchased by individuals jumped by double digits.

Progress reducing the number of uninsured stalled, and one major survey found an uptick this year.

“There is zero bipartisanship, and it’s frustrating,” said Eric Staab, a high school teacher from Topeka, Kansas.

“It seems like we have thrown everything at this dartboard, and nothing is improving the coverage.”

Rumblings of discontent have political repercussions for next year’s midterm elections and the presidential contest in 2020, said Robert Blendon, a professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, who follows opinion trends on health care.

“It’s the issue that won’t go away,” said Blendon. “Given the news cycle, taxes should be first, the economy should be second, and this health care thing should be buried.”

Three in 10 Americans listed taxes among their top priorities, about double the percentage who said that last year. About a quarter mentioned immigration, and just under two in 10 mentioned environmental issues and education. Meanwhile, concerns about unemployment plunged to 14 percent, about half the mentions as last year.

Health care was by far the top issue mentioned by Democrats and independents. Republicans were about equally likely to mention immigration, health care and taxes.

B U Y T O G E T H E R A N D S AV E B I G

Spending From C1

Rupkey, chief financial analyst at MUFG Union Bank in New York, said in reaction to the new GDP report.

For all of 2017, the economy is expected to grow around 2.3 percent, a marked improvement from the slight 1.5 percent gain in GDP in 2016. For 2018, economists believe growth will be even better, helped by the boost from the Republican tax cuts and a stronger global economy.

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, is forecasting growth of 2.9 percent for 2018, reflecting tax cuts that he predicts will add 0.4 percentage point to GDP next year. He expects the tax cuts to add 0.2 percentage point to growth in 2019.

But even with that boost, he sees GDP slowing to a 2.2 percent rate in 2019 before slowing to 1 percent growth in 2020 as the higher interest rates drag on growth.

This forecast is in line with other analysts who see only a temporary gain from the tax cuts. They are at odds with forecasts of the Trump administration that the tax cuts will spur significant momentum that will lift the economy to sustained annual GDP gains of 3 percent or better.

The report on third quarter growth was the government’s third and final look at the quar-

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AN EXCITING BUNDLE OFFER: AN EXCITING BUNDLE OFFER:The Herald & Review is proud to announce a special offer on our Macon County Memories hardbound collector’s books. These books cover the history of Macon County from the early years through the 1960s through stunning and historic images. Order both today for just $50.00.

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construction workers build a residential complex July 12 in Nashville, Tenn. The U.S. economy grew at a 3.2 percent annual rate from July through September, slightly slower than previously estimated but still enough to give the country the best back-to-back quarterly growth rates in three years. ter. The economy showed resilience last quarter in the face of two hurricanes: Harvey, which hit Texas in late August, and Irma, which battered Florida in September.

The U.S. economy is benefiting from a pickup in global growth, a healthy job market, which supports consumer spending, and a drop in the value of the dollar against other major currencies, which makes U.S. products less expensive in foreign markets.

What you need to know: Business investment in equipment shot up at a 10.8 percent rate, the best showing since

the third quarter of 2014.

Consumer spending, which accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic output, grew at an annual pace of 2.2 percent, a slight 0.1 percentage point less than last month’s estimate.

Government spending and investment rose for the first time in three quarters, with spending by state and local governments revised to a small positive from a slight negative in the previous report.

Housing construction fell for a second quarter, but the drop was not as severe as previously reported.

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Order ☐ volume I or ☐ volume II book by mail now (discount expires12/31/17). Select an option: ☐ I’ll pick up my order $32.95 donation to Herald & Review NIE Program. Pick up order at the Herald & Review office (601 E. William Street, Decatur) Quantity: ___ x $32.95 = $______ total Order bundle set by mail now (discount expires 12/31/17). Select an option:

Papa John From C1

Papa John’s apologized two weeks later, after white supremacists praised Schnatter’s comments. The Louisville, Kentucky-based company distanced itself from the group, saying that it did not want them to buy their pizza.

Ritchie declined to say Thursday if the NFL comments played a role in Schnatter stepping down, only saying that it’s “the right time to make this change.”

Shares of Papa John’s are down about 13 percent since the day before the NFL comments were made, reducing the value of Schnatter’s stake in the company by nearly $84 million.

Schnatter owns nearly 9.5 mil-

lion shares of Papa John’s International Inc., and his total stake was valued at more than $560 million on Thursday, according to FactSet. The company’s stock is down 30 percent since the beginning of the year.

Schnatter, 56, founded Papa John’s more than three decades ago, when he turned a broom closet at his father’s bar into a pizza spot. And it has since grown to more than 5,000 locations. Schnatter has also become the face of the company, showing up in TV ads with former football player Peyton Manning.

The company hasn’t decided if Schnatter will still be its spokesman, Ritchie said, adding that a decision will be made early next year.

The Papa John’s leadership

change comes as the pizza chains that once dominated the fast-food delivery business face tougher competition from hamburger and fried-chicken chains that are expanding their delivery business. McDonald’s Corp., for example, expects to increase delivery from 5,000 of its nearly 14,000 U.S. locations by the end of the year.

Ritchie said his focus as CEO will be making it easier for customers to order a Papa John’s pizza from anywhere. That’s a strategy that has worked for Domino’s, which takes orders from tweets, text messages and voice-activated devices, such as Amazon’s Echo. Papa John’s customers can order through Facebook and Apple TV, but Ritchie said he wants the chain to be everywhere customers are.

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ACROSS 1 Night __; those who are up late 5 Leaves suddenly 10 Was in the red 14 Make well 15 Blazing 16 “Doe, a __, a female...”

17 Perceptive 19 Critical 20 __ than; besides 21 Tall shoes 23 Musician’s job 24 Cooking herb 26 Hearth residue 28 Cave 31 Gizmo 34 White __; state tree of Illinois 35 Playwright __ O’Neill 37 Forest animals 40 Lubricates 42 __ and raves; carries on 43 List of dishes 44 Carameltopped custard 45 Truck fuel 47 Behold 48 Lifts with effort

50 Elevated 52 “__ Eyed Girl”; 1967 hit song 54 Astonish 55 Male animal 56 In the air 60 African nation 64 Eden resident 66 Be more important than 68 Claret or merlot 69 Heed one’s alarm clock 70 Path 71 Bewildered 72 Adversary 73 Watched

27 “Things are seldom what they __” 28 Make a faux pas 29 Metal bar 30 Sooners 31 Trait transmitters 32 Social insects 33 Gobi or Sahara 36 Trot or canter 38 Part of the leg 39 Took to court 41 Winter weather 46 Giggle 49 __ flash; instantly 51 Breathe in 52 Noisy fight 53 AM/FM device 54 Play a guitar

Sonny Kohlbecker 11-8-36~12-22-03

14 years since God called you home miss you Love Wife, Children & Grandchildren

Classifieds

57 Theater box 58 Baker’s need 59 Celebration 61 Call it __; quit and go home 62 Nary a one 63 Flabbergasted 65 Bumped into 67 Watch secretly

AUCTION 2 Large Holiday Auctions December 26th: 650+/- Toys January 1st: 900+/- Guns 2601 Lake Land Blvd., Mattoon, IL www.bauerauction.com LEGAL SERVICES NEED LEGAL HELP? Get a FREE referral to an attorney! Call the Illinois State Bar Association Illinois Lawyer Finder The advice you need 877-270-3855 or https://www.isba.org/public/ illinoislawyerfinder Check out the Classifieds Everyday Merchandise Jobs Vehicles Real Estate

ACROSS 1 Significant 6 Crowd sounds 11 Love, to Luigi 12 Tax cheat’s worry 13 Cellulose fiber 14 Guiding principle 15 Blasting stuff 16 Bedroom sight 18 Wedding words 19 Brief time 20 Attempt 21 D.C. team 23 Copenhagen natives 25 Bunny move 27 Field worker 28 Army doc 30 Broad 33 Near the ground 34 Drake’s music 36 Twice cinq 37 Guacamole base 39 December 24, for one 40 Candidate of the ‘90s 41 Raft pilot 43 Puzzle out 44 Sluggish 45 Over 46 High homes DOWN 1 Purple swallow 2 Mystery writer Cross 3 Classic carol 4 Spanish gold 5 Tears 6 Indy auto 7 For all of us 8 Classic carol 9 Pony Express workers 10 Yarn 17 Santa suit color 22 Lawn makeup 24 Fresh 26 Copied illegally

Child Welfare Specialist Full Time Requires a Bachelor Degree in Social Work or Related Field.

Please send your resumes to Sabrina_otken@lcfs.org or fax to (217) 428-2981

NURSES

RANDALL RESIDENCE is a resident focused assisted living facility. We are seeking strong team oriented nurses available for flexible scheduling. Email resume to: rlc@randallresidence.com

28 Advice for the obsessed 29 Bounder 31 Entertain 32 Brings to bear 33 Oversight 35 Visit briefly 38 Place to put in 42 Small bill

50 YRS exp! Plaster patching, drywall repair, painting, texturing, wallpapering. 877-7176.

MACON COUNTY FENCE CO. Insured FREE ESTIMATES American owned and operated!

217-201-8924

Flooring Yoder's Hardwood Flooring: sanding/staining/refinish.Install, new, pre-finish. 217-273-0515.

Garage Doors PROFESSIONAL DUCT and furnace cleaning.

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MIDSTATE OVERHEAD Doors, Garage door/opener install & serv. 422-8030;800-420-4800

Apts. For Rent Decatur/Mt. Zion/Forsyth

Real Estate for Sale Area Towns

VICTORIAN WOODS SENIOR LIVING APARTMENTS Beautiful, quiet location featuring 1 bedroom apartments, rent is income based for seniors 62+.

Call 217/424-0650 TTD 847/390-1460 3910 W. Main St. Decatur

PUBLISHER'S NOTICE Federal and state laws prohibit employment advertisements that express a discriminatory preference on the basis of race, age, sex, color, national origin, religion, handicap or marital status.

The Herald & Review will not knowingly accept advertising for employment which is in violation of these laws.

Our readers are informed that employment offerings advertised in this newspaper are available on an Equal Opportunity basis.

FILL YOUR wheel needs with classified. Bikes, cars, tractors, trucks, motorcycles, even little red wagons, they all show up in classified. Whatever you need to get around, find it in classified

1-217-413-1156. Hauling, cleanout & tear down basements, garages, tree work. 330-7979.

217-521-9495; Hauling & delivery, Experienced & Insured.

Mon-Fri 8 to 6. Happy Holidays

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Classified Does It All

NIANTIC FOR SALE BY OWNER 3 Bdrm, 1,665 sq. ft. new roof, siding and windows, heat, air, bathroom, kitchen, all new flooring, deck, freshly painted.

116 East Lewis St. Asking $75,000. Call 217-620-6391

Real Estate for Sale Decatur/Mt. Zion/Forsyth

In accordance with the federal Fair Housing Act, we do not accept for publication any real estate listing that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, family status, or national origin. If you believe a published listing states such a preference, limitation, or discrimination, please notify this publication at fairhousing@lee. net

APP 5 acres building site. Hobby farm. Place to build a pond. $50,000 Or Best Offer. South Oakland 4 miles.

Call 217-232-2996.

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WE ARE HIRING Additional Facility!

Collision Repair Technician and/or Painter. Requires experience with body & structural repair, frame & welding. Willingness to participate in shop-required I-Car certifications. We offer health ins., savings plan, vacation, uniform program & a professional work environment.

Please contact Treu Body Works for an interview.

217-732-1135 or email thru our website: treubodyworks.com

LINE COOK NEEDED Apply in person Sol Bistro 237 N. Main, Decatur

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TWIN OAKS II, Luxury Apts. 1 & 2 bdrms, starting at $575.

877-1133, 2555 Twin Oaks Ct. Managed by Swartz Properties, www.swartzprop.com.

MAINTENANCE PERSON, experienced needed with tools and transportation. Full or part time. Ph. 309-678-4614 or 217-423-2563.

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Brown & Burch 756-8202 DOUGLAS COUNTY Prime Farm Land for Sale on contract. 57+/- tillable acres. Located 1/4 mi. South of Champagne County Line, between Rt 45 & I57. $12,000 per acre.

Call Owner 217-202-3497

BRAND NEW 2017 MOBILE HOMES BRAND NEW 2017 mobile homes for sale or lease in Decatur, IL. Water and Sewer Available, Lot Rent is $350.00 per month.

Call us today at 217-718-4390.

In accordance with the federal Fair Housing Act, we do not accept for publication any real estate listing that indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, family status, or national origin. If you believe a published listing states such a preference, limitation, or discrimination, please notify this publication at fairhousing@lee. net RUNNING A SPECIAL: W. SAWYER 1 bdrm, very nice security building. $375-$425 309-678-4614; 309-678-1320

217-422-5555 Service Directory CallTo Place Your Ad. Herald & Review Classifieds Air Conditioning/Heating

CLASSIFIED C3

217-422-5555

All Rights Reserved.

In Loving Memory of

DECATUR, ILLINOIS

Decatur adults read the Herald & Review or visit herald-review.com

DOWN 1 Akron’s state 2 __ away; left 3 Eyelid hair 4 Most devious 5 Word of disgust 6 TV’s “King __ Hill” Thursday’s Puzzle Solved 7 “Not on your __!”; firm reply 8 __-blue; loyal 9 __ down the river; betray 10 Bizarre 11 Not affected by gravity 12 Uncanny 13 Sediment 18 Shred cheese 22 Droop 25 Melons and ©2017 T ib C t tA LLC pumpkins ©2017 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

EARING FOUND on Elm Street in Argenta. Call 217-795-4529

Friday, December 22 2017

ILLINI PAINT COMPANY Insured, Free Estimates Since 1986. Call 217-422-8500

42" ROUND Table with two extensions and 6 chairs. Asking $150. Call 217-358-0421 Alexander Secretary antique wood 18x36x80 $549. Wood desk 26x55 like new orig. $800 now $399. 217-864-1969

1 TEDDY bear puppy, 10 weeks old, shots, wormed, ready to go, $450. Ph. 217-543-4006 YORKIE PUPS, playful, 5 weeks old, $700. Take $100 dep to hold. 217-543-2976 lv msg AKC GERMAN Shepherd puppies for sale. Males & females.

Sable, black and tan. Licensed kennel $400. 224-401-7370 (Nokomis, IL).

AKC GERMAN Shepherd puppies, males & females, shots & wormed. Down payment now.

Ready to go mid January $650 cash only Call 217-268-5144 leave message AKC LAB pups, yellow, microchipped, champion hunting titled pedigrees, OFA, EIC, CNM, CERF, great performance, hunters & companions, $800. 217-649-7236.

AKC SHIBA-INU Puppies.

Ready now. Up to date on shots. Good with kids. $400.

Ph 217-578-3054.

AKC YELLOW Lab puppies, updated on shots, declaws removed, dewormed, ready to go Dec. 23. $475 males, $500 for females. Ph. 217-294-3351

AMERICAN BULLDOG puppies.

Reg. Up to date on all shots, vet checked. Males & females $650 each. 815-979-9519 or 815-457-2857 cash only ASDR MINIATURE Australian Shepherd puppies, blue merle, black tri's, shots, dewormed, $300. Call 217-543-3821 AUSSIE DOODLE PUPPIES 9 week old, $650 Males, $750 Females Pictures available 217-268-4519 AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD PUPS, born Sept. 17th 2017. 1 blue merle male, 1 black and white tri female. 217-543-3433 BORDIE COLLIE puppies farm raised, shots, wormed, males $250 females $300.

217-543-3556 BOSTON TERRIER Pups - 8 weeks old. Very playful. Vet checked. $500. 217-543-2976 CHRISTMAS PUPPIES AKC reg German Shepherds, 1st shots, dewormed. 217-856-2396.

Iron Workers Local 46 JATC Program Houses For Rent Decatur/Mt. Zion/Forsyth 2015 E Cantrell - 2 bdrm.

Newly remodeled. Available for immediate occupancy.

(217) 972-6438.

3984 Camelot 3 bdrm townhouse. Laundry hookup Rent Special: $700.

309-678-4614; 309-678-1320 FOR RENT or lease, 2/3 bedroom, 2 baths, side-by-side refrigerator, stove, inside completed remodeled, central air,

by EHS. $560 mo. includes garbage. 970-242-5324 Warrensburg 3-4bd 2 bath ranch very nice fireplace and garage lease/buy $867 Call 520-0828

Iron Workers Local 46 JATC Program is accepting applications for Apprenticeship on a year-round basis. Applications are available Mon-Fri. from 9 am - 11 am and 1 pm - 3 pm at 2888 East Cook St., Springfield, Ill. Applications must be completed and filed with Iron Workers Local 46 Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee at the address shown above. All basic requirements must be met before being considered for Apprenticeship in Iron Workers Local 46 JATC Program.

Basic Requirements 1. High School Diploma or GED. A minimum of 70% 2. Physical ability to perform work 3. Must have a valid driver’s license 4. A minimum of 70% on Aptitude Test to qualify for interview 5. Administration fee of $15.00 Cash, non-refundable

CHECK OUT the latest homes for sale in the Classifieds.

Iron Workers Local 46 JATC Program is an equal opportunity employer.

Get the job done right.

217-519-4794 LAKESIDE Tree Service LLC. 40% off winter rates. Free estimates, insured.

QUALITY TREE Service. Professional, affordable tree care.

Season firewood 217-620-8594 ROMER BROS. Tree Service.

Removal, stump grinding. Firewood. Mulch. Free estimates, insured. 2 Certified Arborists.

Family Business for 48 Years. 217-877-1596 MIDWEST SIDING & WINDOWS Replacement Windows.

Since 1950! 217-877-4646 Classifieds are current.

Turn to the Herald & Review’s Service Directory for local companies that specialize in what you need for your home or business.

To place an ad call 422-5555 or go online at herald-review.com/class SERVICE DIRECTORY. EVERY DAY IN H&R CLASSIFIEDS.

Herald&ReviewClassifieds

CLASSIFIED

(217) 422-5555 hrclass@herald-review.com

Friday, December 22 2017 DECATUR, ILLINOIS

F2B GOLDENDOODLES Christmas puppies, taking deposits. 217-433-4484.

GOLDENDOODLES, MALTIPOOS, MORKIES looking for forever homes. Go to new homes with current worming, vaccinations, puppy pack health guarantee . Check us out at www.oodlesofdoodlesandpoos.w ebs.com 6184313207 LAB PUPPIES. Chocolate and Blacks. ACK Registered. Up to date on shots. $450 each. Ph 217-543-2140.

LABRADOODLE PUPPIES. 9 week old, $650 Males, $750 Females Pictures available 217-268-4519 LABRADOODLE PUPS Silver, blue and black available. ready 1/5. Vet checked, well socialized. $800 (309)363-5738 LAB PUPPIES OFA yellow AKC reg. Ready to take home.

Shots, dewormed. $475/ea 217-268-3266 MALTESE PUPPIES, shots and wormed, $400.

Ph. 217-543-3273 MERRY CHRISTMAS UKC Registered Rat Terrier pups. Miniature. Brown & white, vet checked, 1st shots & wormed. $200 each. Ph. 217-972-3665; 217-665-2233.

CAIRN TERRIER-RAT Terrier Mix puppies, farm raised, very cute, $100 each.

Ph. 217-873-7511, leave message.

Bichon Frise male pups APRI shots/wormed, vet checked, health guarentee, $500 309-221-2102.

BOXER PUPPIES AKC, 1st shots & wormed, tails docked, 2 males and 1 female, 9 weeks old. $600 each.

217-415-3206 text or call or 217-544-4953 AKC HUSKY PUPPIES 1st shots, wormed, $500 217-620-0333; 217-768-3731

CHOCOLATE PUPPIES, AKC registered. Ready to go. Male is hip certified. 217-543-2860.

CHORKIE Puppies. Beautiful tiny playful. 4lbs or less as an adult. 12wks old. 1 male, 2 females $300.

Call: 217-273-6132 CHRISTMAS PUPPIES ready to go.Mixed breed, great disposition. Had first shots. $50 each Call 217-543-4029 ext. 3.

ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIEL PUPPIES Family Raised. AKC Registered, First shots given, Dew claws and tails docked.

Available Dec 21. Delivery Available. Contact by phone at 309-267-1361 KITTENS FOR adoption to "Forever" homes. Call after 11 a.m. 217-864-6112

Miniature Schnauzer Puppies First shots and wormed. 2 males 2 females. Males $425, females $450.

217-823-0617 or 217-823-2607 AKC SIBERIAN HUSKY Puppies, black or gray & white, blue eyes, 1 bi-eyed, shots, wormed, ready now, 7 females, 1 male. $300 ea 217-543-4440 HUSKY Norwegian Elk Hound Cross puppies, very friendly, shots, wormed, ready to go. $150 ea. 217-543-4440 POOGLE PUPPIES 8 weeks old, nice colors, very cute, first shots ready to go $300.

217-873-8951

Classifieds reach the right people.

Classified Can!

BILL ABBOTT INC. MONTICELLO 1-800-717-2576 •

PUPPIES! HAVANESE:$850-1000. Pomeranians: $1000-1500. Maltese: $750. Mini Schnauzer: $850. Call/Text for details.

Ready for Christmas.

217-637-3470 PURBRED LAB puppies chocolate and yellow. $300. Why pay more?

217-232-2996 or 217-294-2912 if no answer.

RAT TERRIER puppy, 5 month old female. $125.

Call: 217-543-4078 RAT TERRIER/JACK RUSSELL MIX, puppies 14 wks old, $125 each, 4 males and 1 female. Leave message 217-543-3720 no Sunday sales READY NOW Goldendoodle pups, male and female, shots, wormed, great with kids & animals. $595. Ph. 217-481-0330 or 217-638-4433 READY NOW Goldendoodle Pups, male, female, shots, wormed, great with kids and animals, $595. 217-481-0330

SCOTTIE PUPS, APRI, Shots, wormed, vet checked, black, health guarantee, $800.

309-221-2102 SHIBA INU Christmas puppies. 4 males & 4 females. Shots & wormed. Good with kids. ACA reg. $800 each. 217-234-7148

TEDDY BEAR Pups - 5 weeks old. $600. $100 deposit to hold.

217-543-2976.

BOSTON TERRIER PUPS ready to go now, nice markings, shots, wormed, health guaranteed, good with kids. Males $500, females $550.

217-543-4090 SHIH TZU Puppies, shots wormed, health guranteed, good with kids, 8 weeks, variety of colors, males $400.

217-543-4090 TWO PUPPYS Two male mini pin/rat terrier mix puppys. 11 weeks old and weined. 100$ each Phone 217-520-6470

WESTIE PUPS ACA shots/wormed, vet checked, health guarentee, $600-$700 309-221-2102.

YORKIE POOS, 8 weeks, Christmas puppies, 1 female, 1 male.

All black with alittle white.

Shots, wormed, $500. Leave message 235-3273 Yorkie Puppies- small, very cute 10 weeks old, 1st shots & wormed, registered, $850-$1,200. Call: 217-543-2160, leave message ZEBRA FINCHS, $15 each.

Would like a female Diamond Dove. Ph. 217-728-7177

Tools/Equip. & Machinery 20 TON log splitter, never been used.

Asking $650.

217-218-0487 BACKHOE CASE 580K Extenda-hoe Cab, 7200 hrs, excellent cond, $17,500. 217-932-3000 JUSTRITE 45 GAL 2 DOOR FLAMMABLE CABINET 3 years old. Does not come with shelves. $600 OBO. (217) 259-1008

SHIBA INU puppies, good with kids, very playful, & ready for christmas. $525 217-543-2121

SIBERIAN HUSKIE PUPPIES: 1 female, 3 males, all blue eyes, shots & wormed, $350/ea.

(217) 294-0501 Teddy Bear puppies, very cute, tan, white & black. 1st shots & wormed. 10 weeks old. $650-$800. Call: 217-543-2160 leave message.

NEW 2017 CHEVY SPARK

MSRP $16,800 #7C052

WANTED TO BUY: WWII US, German, Japanese Relics: Uniforms, helmets, medals, swords, etc. 217-851-3177.

FORD 1932 pickup. Very solid truck with rebuilt 4 cyllinder engine. 217-454-2825 FORD MODEL A coupe with rumble seat. Very solid car runs good 217-454-2825 Clean out your “dust catchers” with a classified ad.

© 2017 Janric Enterprises Dist. by creators.com

BE SMART

Think Reliability...

WANT...

Think Retained STRAIGHT TALK Value...

Think WANT...Quality Think Service...

A STRAIGHT DEAL Think...TOYOTA Think...

2015 CAMARO LT. White with orange rally stripes, rear spoiler, 2,200 miles, new 20 inch wheels & tires, 18 inch wheels & tires. Car is new inside and out. $20,000 OBO. 217-549-7786

Go Straight to BOB

CHEVROLET 2016 Camaro RS 1LT, grey in color with silver rally stripes on hood and rocker panels, rear spoiler, Turbo 4 cyl, 6 spd manual transmission, sunroof, Premium Bose sound system, 4500 miles. $22,500 obo.

Very clean car with 18 months of factory warranty, plus two free oil changes/tire rotations.

Call or Text: 309-287-7020

CHEVY 2009 SILVERADO 1500 V6, standard cab, camper top on 8 ft bed, sharp looking, runs great, 96,000 miles, asking $10,200. 217-778-3225 CORVETTE 2006 convertible, solid white, LS2, 6.0L V8, auto top, loaded, 30,000 mi, red and black inside, Rate 9 out of 10. $29,500. 217-549-8975.

FORD 2007 E-350 - 12 passenger van. Automatic, air, power steering, running boards. $3500 Call 217-621-3957

MERCURY 2009 Milan Premier, leather, roof, $4988..M&M Motors, 429-2000 CHEVY HHR 2007, 51K miles, $5,000 OBO. Excellent condition. Leave a message for Irene, ph. 309-862-3231.

Call Classified for Results

NEW 2017 CHEVY COLORADO

MSRP $28,955 #7T074

$19,376 NEW 2017 CHEVY CAMARO 2SS

20% OFF MSRP!

$32,348

MSRP $46,885 #7C031

THINK YOUR ......Your Car Guy CAR GUY

872-5000 872-5000

25% OFF MSRP!

$13,440

BUY SMART

CAPASSO Bob Capasso

MSRP $25,835 #7C037

20% OFF MSRP!

MSRP $40,435 #7C042

Tax, title, license extra. Offer expires 01/02/18.

12/22/17 Fill in the blank cells using numbers 1 to 9. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and 3x3 block. Use logic and process of elimination to solve the puzzle.

Solution to Thursday’s Sudoku

NEW 2017 CHEVY CRUZE LT HATCHBACK

NEW 2017 CHEVY IMPALA PREMIER

www bi www.billabbottinc.com

JANRIC CLASSIC SUDOKU

C4

$25,000 NEW 2017 CHEVY SUBURBAN PREMIER

MSRP $75,445 #7T026

$42,400

CALL/DEMO

GET IT SEEN. GET IT SOLD.

Here’s all you get: Ad in the newspaper 3 Lines 14 days • Bloomington Pantagraph • Decatur Herald & Review • Mattoon-Charleston JG-TC Online ad: • 14 days on • Herald-review. com • Pantagraph.com -JG-TC.com Mobile ad: Potential customers can search via smart phones anytime, anywhere

All for only

31

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Get your stuff seen and get it sold. Merchandise items only.

Call 800-453-2527 For merchandise items only. Private party only.

(217) 422-5555

hrclass@herald-review.com

Friday, December 22 2017

SNOW BLADE w/wings, Meyers 7 1/2', wiring harness & hardware included for Ford Truck, $1100, 217-962-0295

20924147 ASSUMED NAME PUBLICATION NOTICE Public Notice is hereby given that on Wednesday, December 6, 2017, a certificate was filed in the Office of the County Clerk of Macon County, Illinois, setting forth the names and post-office addresses of all the persons owning, conducting and transacting the business known as: US NAIL & SPA 3155 N. WOODFORD DECATUR, ILLINOIS 62526 Dated: Wednesday, December 6, 2017 Stephen M. Bean COUNTY CLERK 20925489 INVITATION TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received by the Board of Commissioners, Decatur Housing Authority at 1808 East Locust Street, Decatur, Illinois 62521, until 3:00 p.m. prevailing time on January 4, 2018 for Miscellaneous Improvements at the Concord, I L L 1 2 - 2 2 , C F P IL06-P012-50116, for Decatur Housing Authority in Decatur, Illinois, at which time the bids will be publicly opened and read.

Trucks/SUVs/Vans

DODGE RAM, 1998, 3500 SLT, 4 door, 110,500 miles, Cummings diesel motor, Allison trans auto, 2 wheel drive dually, four new rear tires, 6000 lb. slide in Dump Bed. $9500 cash obo. Ph. 217-294-2245 JEEP 2004 Wrangler - Sahara edition. Automatic, air, power steering, 2 door. Has both hard and Soft tops. Great shape.

217-621-3957 $12,000 LINCOLN 1976 Continental Mark IV, 2 door, 81,000. miles, Nice car, $4,500.. l 217-864-2072 TOYOTA 2008 Camry One owner, 141,000 miles, lady driven, non-smoking, 4 cyl, automatic, power locks & windows, stereo/CD player, excellent condition $6500.00 217-874-2489 or 217-855-0715 TOYOTA VENZA, 2015, XLE, awd, 42,000 miles, local owned, $21,500 Firm.

217-254-9428

Trucks/SUVs/Vans

CHEVROLET 2002 Trailblazer LTZ SUV, 4 WD, $2988. M&M Motors 429-2000 NISSAN 2016 Frontier 2016 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab, V6, 4 wheel drive, Automatic, Heated seats, 20,000 miles, $24,500, 217-820-8098

PONTIAC 2001 Montanas (2) 195,000 miles $1750, and 227,000 miles $1000. Call (217) 232-2996 or (217) 508-2241 TOYOTA AVALON, 2006 , 4 Dr. sedan, 72,340 mi., Auto, A/C, leather seats, Front A/C & heated seats, tilt, cruise control, t-top, tires good, chrome wheels, CarFax history price $10,900 phone - home: 217-330-6448, cell 217-827-0939

Heavy Trucks & Trailers FORD 1997 F-250 4x4, 5.8 gas, auto, 82,500 miles, 7 1/2' Meyers snow blade included, $1825, 217-962-0295

www.FOURWINDSRV.com Maroa (US 51) 217-794-2292 A Route 66 Dealer HOLIDAY RAMBLER 2001 Admiral Class A motor home, plus car hauler, and satellite dish.

217-621-3957. $12,000 OLDER RV, DODGE, ROCKWOOD, everything works, $3,000.00 or best offer.

217-917-4420

CLUB GOLF CART, 2013, every possible option, metallic red, new tires and rims, best looking cart. $6800. 217-549-8975

The work of this project includes interior remodeling and exterior painting at the Concord, 333 E. Center St. Decatur, IL 62526. All work is to be performed in accordance with the Drawings and Specifications prepared by Architectural Expressions, Inc., and on file at the office of Decatur Blue Print, 230 West Wood Street, Decatur, IL 62523, Decatur Housing Authority, 1808 East Locust Street, Decatur IL, and Architectural Expressions, 113 Ilini Dr, Forsyth IL 62535.

Sealed bids must be submitted on the Form of Bid accompanying these specifications. Envelopes containing bids shall be addressed to the Board of Commissioners, Decatur Housing Authority, 1808 East Locust Street, Decatur, Illinois 62521, and shall be clearly labeled, "BID DOCUMENTS FOR MISCELLANEOUS IMPROVEMENTS AT CONCORD FOR DECATUR HOUSING AUTHORITY TO BE OPENED AT 3:00 P.M. PREVAILING TIME ON JANUARY 4, 2018." Bid envelope shall also clearly stipulate the name of bidder.

Each bid must be accompanied by a Form of Bid, Completed Form of Non-Collusive Affidavit, Completed HUD Form 5369-A (Representations, Certifications and Other Statements of Bidders) and a Bid Guarantee in the form of a Cashier's Check, Bid Bond, or Bank Draft in an amount equal to five percent (5%) of the total bid and made payable to Decatur Housing Authority, Decatur, Illinois. The Bid Guarantee of unsuccessful bidders will be returned as soon as practicable after the opening of bids. The surety company must be authorized to do business in the state where the project is located and must be acceptable to the government. If the bid guarantee is not submitted with the bid, the Decatur Housing Authority shall reject the bid.

The bidding contractor shall submit bids for both the base bid work and the alternate work. Bidding only the base bid or alternate bid will result in disqualification of the bid.

A maximum of (3) hard copy sets of the Specifications and Drawings will be available upon deposit of twenty five ($25.00) per set at Decatur Blue Print.

Checks shall be made payable to the Decatur Housing Authority. This deposit will be refunded in full upon return of the Specifications and Drawings to Decatur Blue Print. Central Illinois Builder's non-cash security method for receipt of documents will be accepted on this project. CIB requests for plans card shall guarantee the deposit by CIB. There will be Pre-Bid Conference held at the Decatur Housing Authority's office at 1808 E. Locust Street, Decatur, Illinois on December 21, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. Bidders will be given the opportunity to examine the property following the meeting.

The Decatur Housing Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids and waive any informalities in the bids.

DATED this 15th day of December, 2017.

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS DECATUR HOUSING AUTHORITY DECATUR, ILLINOIS s/ Lisa Campbell-Hein Chairperson of the Board s/ James E. Alpi Executive Director 20925519 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS Estate of DONALD F. WESTERMAN, Deceased 2017-P-338 NOTICE Notice is given of the death of Donald F. Westerman of Decatur , Illinois. Letters of office as independent executor were issued on December 13, 2017, to Elsie M. Westerman, of 782 E. Hickory Point Rd., Decatur, Illinois 62526, whose attorney is Darrel F. Parish. Claims against the estate may be filed in the office of the Circuit Clerk, Macon County Courthouse, 253 East Wood Street, Decatur, IL 62523, or with the representative, or both, before June 20, 2017. Any claim not filed on or before that date is barred. Copies of a claim filed with the Clerk must be mailed or delivered to the executor and to the attorney within ten days after it has been filed.

GENERAL OBLIGATION PARK BONDS PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Decatur Park District, Macon County, Illinois (the "District"), will hold a public hearing on the 3rd day of January, 2018, at 12:00 o'clock P.M. The hearing will be held in the the Decatur Park District Administration Office Conference Room, 620 East Riverside Avenue, Decatur, Illinois.

The purpose of the hearing will be to receive public comments on the proposal to sell (a) general obligation bonds of the District in the amount of not to exceed $500,000 for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, maintaining and operating airports and landing fields for aircraft and for the payment of the expenses incident thereto, and (b) general obligation park bonds of the District in the amount of not to exceed $4,400,000 for the payment of land condemned or purchased for parks, for the building, maintaining, improving and protecting of the same and the existing land and facilities of the District and the payment of the expenses incident thereto.

By order of the President of the Board of Park Commissioners of the Decatur Park District, Macon County, Illinois.

DATED the 13th day of December, 2017.

Amanda M. Childress Secretary, Board of Park Commissioners, Decatur Park District, Macon County, Illinois 20927142 Notice to Small, Minority, Disability and Women's Business Enterprises as well as Section 3 business concerns; Building Systems of Illinois, Inc. 1625 Huston Drive, Decatur, Illinois, 62526, Phone: (217) 876-9500, Fax: (217) 876-9550, is seeking qualified small, minority, disabled and women's businesses as well as Section 3 business concerns for the "Miscellaneous Improvements at the Concord" for Decatur Housing Authority, Project ILL 1222 CFP IL06-P012-50116 for subcontracting opportunities but not limited to the following areas: Painting, Floor Covering, Laborer and Carpentry Work All interested and qualified small, minority, and women's businesses should contact John Mackling to discuss the subcontracting opportunities.

All negotiations must be completed prior to the bid opening date, January 4, 2018, 2:00 PM

DECATUR, ILLINOIS

CLASSIFIED C5

Blue Jeans to Business Suits

Check out the Classifieds Everyday Merchandise Jobs Vehicles Real Estate

Find your dream job in the Classifieds.

866-612-4497

3 Blocks East of the Square, Clinton

“Serving Clinton for 65 years”

LAST OF THE 2017’S w Ne

2017

Wrangler Sahara 4x4

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2017

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#1785

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MSRP OUR DISCOUNT

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$

*

2017 Chrysler Pacifica Touring “L” Plus L AL W E N 18” WHEEL GROUP, DVD, BACK-UP CAMERA, KEYLESS ENTER-N-GO, DUAL AIR, LOTS MORE…

UP TO 28 MPG

Darrel F. Parish, Attorney for Executor Parish & Castleman 132 S. Water St., Suite 429 Decatur, Illinois 62523 (217) 429-4283 darrelparish@sbcglobal.net 20926606 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING THE INTENT OF THE BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS OF THE DECATUR PARK DISTRICT, MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS TO SELL NOT TO EXCEED $500,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION AIRPORT BONDS AND NOT TO EXCEED $4,400,000

?

Career Change

www.herald-review.com/jobs

#17113

35,144 -$5,215 $

*tax, lic., title extra, rebates incl.

MSRP OUR DISCOUNT

29,929 OUR PRICE

$

*

12222017

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Merry Christmas & Happy New Year From 1500 Koester Dr. Forsyth, IL 217-615-1660

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C6

CLASSIFIED

(217) 422-5555 hrclass@herald-review.com

Friday, December 22 2017 DECATUR, ILLINOIS

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M 1

HOME & GARDEN Friday, December 22, 2017 | herald-review.com/lifestyles | SECTION D

CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

DEAN FOSDICK, ASSOCIATED PRESS

A honeybee swarm cluster gathered on an apple tree.

The life of a ‘swarm chaser’ Experts can return wayward bees to hives DEAN FOSDICK

Associated Press

SETH WENIG PHOTOS, ASSOCIATED PRESS

A huge wreath is prepared for a client at the American Christmas warehouse in Mount Vernon, New York. American Christmas is essentially an attic for New York City and the surrounding area and is piled high with every imaginable holiday decoration to adorn city streets and skyscrapers.

Santa’s other WORKSHOP

It’s like the North Pole at the American Christmas warehouse KAREN MATTHEWS

M

Associated Press

OUNT VERNON, N.Y. — Inside a massive, nondescript warehouse just north of New York City, it always looks a lot like Christmas.

American Christmas in Mount Vernon is essentially a decorations attic for the nation’s largest city and the surrounding area and is piled high with every imaginable holiday decoration to adorn city streets and skyscrapers.

There are huge ornaments, toy soldiers, wreaths, trees, pine cones and miles of strung lights.

There were 18-foot-tall candy canes ready to be hung like stockings on a West 57th Street office tower, 8-foottall pine cones soon to be installed atop the revolving door at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square and a glittering basketball headed for the NBA Store on 5th Avenue.

Displays at Radio City Music Hall, Saks Fifth Avenue and Rockefeller Center — except for the giant tree — also are among the 700 separate holiday displays the company will do this year alone.

“It’s the Saks Fifth Avenues and Radio Cities of the world that gain us a lot of attention but most building lobbies are doing trees, wreaths and garlands,” said CEO Fred Schwam. “We’ll go and hang a wreath behind a reception desk and that’s the whole job, and then we have some of the biggest displays in the world.”

Most of the company’s displays are in the New York area but American Please see WORKSHOP, Page D4

M 1

Brianna Edwards makes bows at the American Christmas warehouse.

Oversize golden pine cones are stored at the American Christmas warehouse.

A candy cane decoration at the warehouse.

When half or more of your honeybees have deserted the hive and are lingering nearby, who ya gonna call? Swarm chasers can provide quick help to fellow beekeepers, keeping them from getting stung literally and financially.

“A swarm is the division of the honeybee colony into two parts,” said Donald Lewis, a professor and Extension entomologist with Iowa State University.

“One part of the colony will stay where they’ll continue to grow, reproduce and make honey.

The swarm leaves the colony in search of a place to set up elsewhere.”

Swarming generally occurs because the colony is crowded, or it could be caused by genetics, Lewis said. “There is a predisposition in some bee strains that makes it more likely for them to do that,” he said.

Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of a new queen pushing the old queen out. “The old queen would go with the swarm, taking half the existing colony and all the honey they can carry when they depart,” Lewis said.

“A swarm generally flies a short distance and then hangs out on tree limbs, stop signs, the side of a house or perhaps in a playground. They’ll wait for the scouts to return and tell them where their new location will be,” Lewis said.

The likelihood that a swarm can become a thriving feral bee colony depends primarily on where their new home is, Lewis said.“Here in the Midwest, if the swarm cannot get inside a protected location, they’re not likely to make it through the winter.”

Beekeepers can prevent losing a colony by dividing it ahead of time; by re-capturing the swarm cluster and placing it in a new hive; or by buying a honeybee variety known for its low tendency to swarm, Lewis said.

If you’ve lost or simply spotted a swarm cluster, it may pay to find someone who, for a price or simply a new strain of honeybees, is willing to round them up.

Dan Maxwell, a beekeeper from Freeland, Washington, frequently responds to calls requesting help to remove swarms.

“I only work with honeybees,” Maxwell said. He won’t deal with swarms that have collected too high (15 feet or more) or that are enclosed in ceilings, crawl spaces and brickwork like fireplaces. Those cases are “too much work, and it can be messy with brood and honey,” he said.

Swarm clusters on limbs or branches can easily be dropped or shaken into a box, Maxwell said. He often uses a vacuum with an adjustable suction setting that doesn’t harm the queen or worker bees.

Unless provoked, bees seldom sting when they swarm, he said.

“Swarms are usually not in the stinging mode because they have gorged themselves on honey to start the new hive.”

If you do see a swarm, don’t panic, throw rocks at it or spray it with an insecticide, Lewis said.

“These are beneficial insects,” he said. “You don’t have to needlessly kill them. Simply give them a wide berth and chances are, they’ll be gone in a day or two.”

D2

HOME

| FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2017

DECATUR HERALD & REVIEW

PLANT PALETTE

DEAR ABBY

Vacation tripped up by injury D

JIM BOWLING, HERALD & REVIEW

The Decatur Park District’s recent Holiday Plant Sale featured hundreds of poinsettias. The story of the poinsettia from a wild flower growing along the road in Mexico to an iconic image of Christmas is an interesting one.

The making of a Christmas flower

P

oinsettias are everywhere this time of year. Of all the flowers out there, why is the poinsettia associated with Christmas?

The truth is if it weren’t for an observant U.S. ambassador, the poinsettia, or Euphorbia pulcherrima would have remained a plant of Mexican and Central American medicine and legend rather than the common Christmas JENNIFER decoration it is today.

Traditionally, the AzSCHULTZ tecs called poinsettias NELSON “Cuetlaxochitle.” They used the sap from the plant to control fevers, and the bright red bracts were a source of red dye. The plant grew wildly and flowered naturally in the short winter days in tropical highlands.

A Mexican legend tells of a poor girl named Pepita who had nothing to offer the Christ child at Christmas Eve services. Her cousin Pedro told her that “even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes.”

Pepita gathered a small bouquet of roadside weeds to take to church, and as she placed them at the nativity scene, they burst into brilliant red blooms. These blooms of Euphorbia pulcherrima were referred to as the Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night since they bloomed each year during the Christmas season.

The name poinsettia is credited to Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico. He was a physician by training but had a passion

for botany. In 1828 he spied Euphorbia pulcherrima growing along the roadside and took some cuttings to his greenhouse in South Carolina and shared the plants with family and friends.

John Bartram of Pennsylvania was the first to offer Euphorbia pulcherrima commercially. Later historian William Prescott coined the name “poinsettia” in his book “Conquest of Mexico” in honor of Joel Poinsett.

Though Joel led a successful career as a congressman and ambassador, and also founded the Smithsonian Institution, he is most known for the poinsettia. Congress declared Dec. 12 as National Poinsettia Day in his honor.

The poinsettia’s introduction to the U.S. in the 1800s as a novel new plant was nothing like its popularity today. How in the world did a wild plant from Mexico become a fixture in many American homes during the holidays?

Much of the poinsettia’s popularity is credited to Paul Ecke Sr. of California. Observing that the poinsettia naturally flowered around Christmas in California, he envisioned the poinsettia becoming “the” Christmas flower. But how could he accomplish this at a time when most people had never seen a poinsettia and had no reason to associate it with Christmas?

At the time, Ecke’s ranch was in the Los Angeles area of California. He began to make poinsettia a household name by marketing poinsettias as cut flowers from roadside stands in the Hollywood and Beverly Hills area, near the fields from where the flow-

ers were harvested. Poinsettias were also sold as good landscape plants for southern California homeowners since their climate is very similar to Mexico’s climate.

As the Los Angeles area population boomed, and poinsettias grew in popularity, Ecke had to find more land for his ranch. In 1923, he bought land in Encinitas, California, where his ranch stands today.

The poinsettias that were grown up to this point were very different than those we see today. They lost their leaves and bracts very soon after Christmas, tended to be very tall and leggy, and did not grow very well as potted plants.

Plant breeding and the next Ecke generation was poised to change that.

Paul Ecke Jr. promoted the idea of producing greenhouse grown cuttings rather than field grown mother plants for sale to greenhouses. This cut down on shipping costs and led to the development of varieties wellsuited to being greenhouse grown in pots.

A few tips for poinsettia care in the home:  Purchase poinsettias at your last stop when holiday shopping. Plants will likely be damaged by the cold if left to wait in the car while you shop.  Remove all protective wrappings as soon as you get home.  Place poinsettias out of cold or warm drafts, which can cause flower or leaf drop. A draft of a few seconds is enough to cause leaf drop minutes later.  Most plants are happy in typical room temperatures (68-72 degrees) but will hold their blooms longer at

cooler indoor temperatures (as low as 55 degrees)  Give plants bright indirect light without allowing plants to contact cold windows.  Water plants when their soil is dry. Do not allow them to sit in water, as this promotes root rot. Overly wet soil also promotes fungus gnats.  Don’t let poinsettias dry to the point of wilting.  Remove plastic or foil sleeves which hold water, or punch holes to allow water to flow into a saucer placed beneath the plant. It is far too easy to overwater otherwise.  Do not fertilize poinsettias while they are in bloom. If you choose to keep your plants after they are finished blooming, fertilizing is best done in the spring at the start of the new growing season. Some find poinsettias make good additions to the annual flower bed in the spring, as a vigorous green shrub-like backdrop.

After the holidays are over, poinsettias make a nice houseplant.

As bracts fade and leaves drop, cut stems back to 4 to 6 inches tall.

Fertilize lightly, place in the bright indirect light and allow green leaves to regrow. Place outside in spring as a green accent in the annual garden.

Reflowering poinsettias is possible, but fairly difficult to do in the home.

They must have at least twelve hours of darkness each day from September to December without interruption in order to be successful.

of Housing and Urban Development to Patrick Dean Miller 6 Ewing Place, $98,000, Beau N. Hanger to Desera Gause 1726 N. Folk St., $28,000, Robert Marlow and Gail Marlow to Gzim Bekteshi 1063 W. Forest Ave., $9,900, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. to David E. Eckel 2449 W. Forest Ave., $137,500, Joyce A. Robinson, trustee, to David Wence and Barbara J. Wence 2156 Gary Court, $8,000, Jeffrey D. Richardson to Herbert J. Dexter 3902 N. Greenridge Drive, $75,000, Theodore Dennis Layton to Richard A. Gustafson and Nancy P. Gustafson 1792 Highlawn Road, $38,000, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to Corey Thompson 1107 Indiana Court, $22,500, Emily J. Perry Baldwin to Lynette Rainer 821 W. Karen Drive, $128,000, Randy A. Hinshaw and Dorothy J. Hinshaw to Zachary A. Weishaar and Shelby L. Weishaar 2092 W. Leafland Ave., $47,650, Karen Heuser to Jason J. Epperson 1220 S. Maffit St., $11,000, Gold Medal Ventures LLC to Bourne Enterprises LLC 1228 S. Maffit St., $11,000, New Harvest Ventures LLC to Bourne Enterprises LLC 2457 E. Main St., 2516 E. Prairie St., 2298 E. North St., 2154 E. Lincoln Ave., 1363 E. Logan St., 4 Central Drive, 3 North Drive, 1225 N. Taylor Ave., 1953 N. Walnut Grove, $189,000, Bruce P. Washburn to Douglas A. Pope and Julie R. Pope

1423 N. Maple Ave., $11,000, New Harvest Ventures LLC to Bourne Enterprises LLC 3724 Meadowlark Drive, $38,000, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation to Steve E. Halford and Tammy S. Halford 2288 Neil Drive, $89,000, Jean L. Sherman, f.k.a. Jean L. Boyd, to Danny E. Hadley and Joyce Hadley 817 and 819 W. Packard St., $500, Staley Credit Union to Jose Sanchez 124 Point Bluff Drive, $73,000, Deborah A. Miller and Kathy M. Carter, sole heirs of Velma P. Fellin, deceased, to Susan K. Miller 2008 W. St. Louis Bridge Road, $168,000, Carol Mattingly to David Mallow 429 W. Sawyer St., $10,000, Matthew Pope to John and Kim Keck 3235 Sharon Drive, $135,000, James A. Carr and Faith A. Carr to Seth C. Morse and Dana M. Morse 427 Shonna Drive, $85,000, estate of Shirley A. Naylor to Emily A. Foster 1625 N. Summit Ave., $70,000, David L. Binder, executor of the estate of Helen L. Binder, deceased, to Gregory Kirby 3835 S. Taylor Road, $131,000, Kristopher Thompson and Michael Timmons to David W. Powell 1240 E. Vanderhoof St., $59,900, Kevin W. Parks and Dianna L. Parks to Tammy Howell 1859 W. Waggoner St., 1350 N. Gulick Ave., 625 W. Division St., 1952 N. Gulick Ave., 1910 W. Leafland Ave., $2,500, Glenn M. and Shelly I. Brown to Ryan

Blankenship 175 S. Westdale Ave., $117,000, David J. Caldwell to Bryan Kariotis 440 S. Westlawn Ave., $86,000, Arlene J. Wallace to Douglas Smith and Sarah Schrader 1005 W. William St., $11,500, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. to Bourne Enterprises LLC 1440 and 1442 N. Wilson Ave., $7,500, Suzanne L. Johnson, administrator, to Warren R. Lucas 411 Woodhill Drive, $146,500, Robert F. Moody and Michele L. Moody to Ryan Ford and Aprill Ford 2307 Yorkshire Drive, $32,040, U.S. Bank National Association to Tiffany Ann LeGrande and Dustin Lynn LeGrande FORSYTH 722 Gunnar Lane, $169,500, Bradley A. Osborne and Gail L. Osborne to Ronald K. Ingram III MACON 5311 Moss Road, $210,000, Julia Ann Templeton to Craig J. Martin and Ashley G. Martin MAROA 1217 E. Washington Street Road, $294,500, Robert E. Mashburn and Bobbi M. Mashburn to Brooke Golladay MOUNT ZION 1356 Kays Court, $136,500, David Carnock and Cheryl Zollinger to Carol Mattingley OREANA 7852 MacCory Drive, $30,000, Gerber State Bank to Michael S. Strack and Dana M. Range

Jennifer Schultz Nelson shares practical ideas and information to bring out the gardener in everyone in her blog at www. groundedandgrowing.co.

REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS Source: Illinois Department of Revenue real estate transfer declaration sheets were submitted with the deeds recorded in the Macon County Recorder’s Office. Dollar amounts represents the net sale price. Documents processed in December.

DECATUR 1715 S. Albany Place, $77,500, Karen A. Anderson to Connie Wisnewski 1827 Albany Court, $127,000,First Christian Church of Decatur to Carole Lee Bagley 2434 Alice Lane, $112,000, Susan K. Miller and estate of Robert K. Miller, deceased to Sara E. Milligan 3355 E. Birch St., $64,000, Timothy S. Lane to Gerald L. Harmon 133 Bristol Drive, $72,500, Estate of Kesano Carlberg, deceased, to Kirstie Pappas 786 W. Center St., $11,000, Gold Medal Ventures LLC to Bourne Enterprises LLC 264 E. Christine Drive, $79,900, Prestige Property Investors LLC to Shelly R. Brown 1085 E. Clay St., $4,000, Macon County sheriff to Todd Gober and Ann Schiro 1048 Cornell Drive, $152,000, Trevor Lowery and Kristi Lowery to Anthony Longcor 363 Dawson Road, $45,000, Connie Tucker, Amy Tucker, Bradley Tucker to Debra Lehman 1970 N. Dennis Ave., $58,000, Jane Ferrell to Kyle Huggins 645 E. Elm Ave., $15,000, Secretary

ear Abby: I had planned a trip to Europe with my friend “Elizabeth,” a friend of hers and Elizabeth’s daughter. The plan was I would share rooms with Elizabeth. We paid for the hotels in advance.

Shortly before our scheduled departure I fell, broke my ankle and couldn’t go. We tried unsuccessfully to obtain some kind of refunds, and travel insurance paid only if the accident happened while we were actually traveling.

I was out $2,000.

Elizabeth’s friend offered me $500. Elizabeth, feeling some obligation, also offered me $500. I feel guilty taking JEANNE Elizabeth’s money bePHILLIPS cause she paid for herself and her daughter. I think the other woman should give me at least half — not just $500 — because she derived 100 percent of the benefit. Also, she has never reached out to me directly at all.

No money has been received at this point. Should I just write it off? Or am I wrong to expect some of the money back?

— Money Woes In The East Dear Money Woes: Yes, you are wrong. Nobody owes you anything.

Accidents happen, but the broken ankle was your bad luck. It was generous of Elizabeth and her friend to offer you any money at all. My advice is to accept it graciously, write the rest off, and stop looking for someone to be mad at.

Avoid disruption?

Dear Abby: One of my relatives has bipolar disorder and, as far as I know, he takes medicine for it. However, at our Christmas celebration last year he became verbally aggressive and abusive toward a family member who had done nothing to provoke it. Needless to say, it put a damper on the festivities.

Some people make excuses for him because he’s bipolar, but I don’t want another holiday ruined because of his behavior (which can be unpredictable).

Must the rest of us sit on pins and needles hoping he doesn’t explode this Christmas? I’d prefer not to invite him until he has better control of himself.

Your opinion, please?

— Hoping For Happy Holidays Dear Hoping: You have a point.

A solution might be to talk directly with your relative and explain that if he’s taking his medication — which means there will be no unpredictable outbursts — he is welcome to be your guest for Christmas. If not, however, he should make other plans.

Military service marker

Dear Abby: On Veterans’ Day I visited my family’s cemetery plot and noticed my closest uncle does not have a military service marker like his two older brothers do. “Uncle Claude” had frequently mentioned to me how important a service marker was to him. I discussed it with his two out-of-state children several times after his death.

Almost two years have passed now, and it appears getting the marker might not happen. Should I inquire about this with my cousins, offer to assist them in getting and placing the marker or let it go? I did place a small flag on his grave later in the day.

— Military Service Marker Dear M.S.M.: Discuss this with your cousins once more and ask if they would like you to pursue getting the marker for your uncle. There may be reasons why it hasn’t happened — including that they may not be able to afford the expense. You will never know unless you inquire.

Dear Abby is written by Jeanne Phillips for Universal Press Syndicate.

BUILDING PERMITS New Construction 2686 E. Cantrell St., $3,020,857, owner is Decatur Park District, contractor is Christy-Foltz Projects in Decatur 806 S. Jasper St., $10,000, owner and contractor is Ribhi Qattoum Sajed-Qattoum, new convenience mart 2116 S. Lost Bridge Road, $500, owner and contractor James Forehand, repair and replace and add headers.

3065 St. Andrews Drive, $75,000, owners Ed and Donna Raycraft, contractor Oleson Construction, home renovation Demolitions 1535 E. Prairie Ave., owner and contractor Anderson Backhoe Service, demolition 181 Southmoreland Place, owner Doa Family Holdings LLC, contractor Steves Trucking, demolition Source: City of Decatur Economic/Urban Development M Department records 1

OBITUARIES

DECATUR HERALD & REVIEW

DEATHS LISTED CARROLL, Bobby Joe, Vandalia HARDY, Shirley, Decatur HOSKINS, Abigail E., Decatur HUG, Robert Warren, Decatur LOFLAND, David Kent, Mount Pulaski NABER, Bernard Louis, Decatur WOOLS, Richard A., Decatur

Braundmeier

DECATUR — Barbara Ann Braundmeier, 88, of Watseka, IL, formerly of Decatur, IL, passed away Wednesday, December 20, 2017.

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, December 23, at Brintlinger and Earl Funeral Home, Decatur, IL, with visitation one hour prior to service time at the funeral home. Burial will be at 2:00 p.m. in Swan Lake Memory Gardens, Peoria, IL. Barbara was born February 16, 1929 in Peoria, IL, the daughter of Enoch and Mable Hendricks (Harris) Duttarer. She married Jackie Braundmeier on December 31, 1948 in Peoria, IL. He preceded her in death on May 24, 2009.

Barbara was a member of Parkway Church of the Nazarene. She worked for Weight Watchers in Decatur as a Lecturer for 25 years.

Barbara enjoyed ceramics, and spending time with her grandchildren, especially baking with them.

She is survived by her sons James (Debra) Braundmeier of Decatur, John Braundmeier of Watseka, Tim (Cathy) Braundmeier of Carrollton, TX; 11 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Jackie, daughter Pam Barrick, and sister Phyllis White.

Condolences and memories may be shared with the family in care of Brintlinger and Earl Funeral Homes at www.brintlingerandearl.com

FUNERALS TODAY ANDERSON, Patricia J., 86, Decatur, 7 p.m. in Brintlinger and Earl Funeral Homes, Decatur.

BAGLEY, Ronald Dean, 79, Decatur, 2 p.m. in Tuscola Township Cemetery.

BROWNING, Jon “Roger,” 70, Decatur, 10:30 a.m. in West Franz Cemetery, Oakley.

CARROLL, Bobby Joe, 88, Vandalia, 11 a.m. in Miller Funeral Home, Vandalia.

HARDY, Shirley, Decatur, 11 a.m. in Life Builders Church of God.

HOSKINS, Abigail E., infant daughter of Heather Mills and Robert Hoskins Jr., 11 a.m. in Graceland/Fairlawn Funeral Home.

LOFLAND, David Kent, 57, Mount Pulaski, 11 a.m. in FrickeCalvert-Schrader Funeral Home, Mount Pulaski.

NABER, Bernard Louis, 79, Decatur, 10 a.m. in Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.

WOOLS, Richard A., 49, Decatur, 3 p.m. in Graceland/Fairlawn Funeral Home.

JENNIFER KAY

Associated Press

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Clifford Irving, whose scheme to publish a phony autobiography of billionaire Howard Hughes created a sensation in the 1970s and stands as one of the all-time literary hoaxes, died after being admitted to hospice care in Florida. He was 87.

Irving’s wife, Julie Irving, told The Associated Press he died Tuesday at a hospice near his Sarasota home. She said he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer about a week earlier.

Julie Irving and Irving’s sons Ned and Barnaby remembered the writer as a fearless charmer even in his last days.

The day before he died, they said Thursday, Irving asked his doctor to help hasten the process.

The doctor demurred, saying he did not want to go to jail.

“Cliff said, ‘Don’t worry, I won’t tell anybody,’” Julie Irving said. “That was so classic Cliff.

He was just conspiratorial to the end.”

A novelist of little note in 1971, Irving conned McGraw-Hill publishers into paying him a $765,000 advance for a book about the reclusive Hughes.

His elaborate ruse became the subject of the 2006 movie “The Hoax,” starring Richard Gere.

Irving served 17 months in federal prison for fraud after Hughes emerged to condemn the work as a fabrication. The bogus autobiography wasn’t published until 1999, when it was printed as a private edition.

The scam “was exciting. It was a challenge. It became an adventure,” Irving told the Los Angeles Times in 2007.

The International Herald Tribune called the fake autobiography “the most famous unpublished book of the 20th century.”

Time magazine dubbed Irving “Con Man of the Year” in a 1972 cover story.

Irving said the idea of fabricating an autobiography of Hughes came to him after reading a magazine article about the billionaire’s eccentric lifestyle.

Hughes’ hermit-like obsession with his privacy all but guaranteed that the “gorgeous literary caper” would succeed, Irving

wrote in “The Hoax,” his 2006 account of the scheme.

“Hughes would never be able to surface to deny it, or else he wouldn’t bother,” he wrote.

At the time of the hoax, Hughes had long withdrawn from his life as a powerful industrialist, aviator and filmmaker. He reportedly lived the final 10 years of his life, from 1966 to 1976, in near-total seclusion, even neglecting personal hygiene to avoid contact with the outside world.

Hughes’ intense aversion to publicity gave rise to skepticism about Irving’s claims to have interviewed the billionaire.

Irving insisted that he had several clandestine meetings with Hughes. He submitted to a lie-detector test and produced documents purportedly from the billionaire, including a handwritten letter written to McGraw-Hill.

The letter, forged by Irving, was deemed authentic by handwriting analysts hired by McGraw-Hill. At that point, the publisher decided to move forward with the book.

Irving put the cash advance into a Swiss bank account, opened in the name Helga R. Hughes.

The deception unraveled when investigative reporter James Phelan, writing a book about Hughes, recognized passages of his work in an excerpt from Irving’s manuscript of the autobiography.

Hughes himself then surfaced to conduct a telephone conference with reporters during which he repudiated Irving’s story and said that he never met him. His lawyer sued Irving and his publisher.

At the urging of McGraw-Hill, Swiss authorities investigated the Helga R. Hughes bank account and learned that the deposits had been made by Irving’s wife, Edith.

Irving and his collaborator, Richard Suskind, were indicted on fraud charges and were found guilty in June 1972. In addition to his prison term, Irving returned the $765,000 advance to McGraw-Hill. Suskind was sentenced to six months and served five.

Edith Irving served a total of 16 months in U.S. and Swiss jails

AP FILE PHOTO

In this March 13, 1972 file photo, author Clifford Irving is seen as he enters federal court in New York. Irving, the prankster who wrote a phony autobiography of billionaire Howard Hughes and fooled a major publisher in 1971 has died at 87. for fraud. She left jail announcing her intent to file for divorce.

Irving was unhappy with the movie version of his escapades and asked to have his name removed from the credits as a technical adviser.

“Movie Clifford has the energy of a not-too-bright psychopath.

If I were that man, I’d shoot myself,” he wrote on his website.

“The movie is best thought of as a hoax.”

The Hughes hoax followed Irving’s book “Fake!,” the story of art forger Elmyr de Hory. The reviews of the book were favorable, but it sold fewer than 30,000 copies.

Ned Irving said his father’s friendship with the forger helped inspire the Hughes scheme.

Though traumatized by the imprisonment of both their parents, he and his brother eventually made peace with their father.

“They made an example out of him,” he said. “I think he got a kick out of it. In retrospect, I wish he would have gotten away with it.”

Born in 1930, Irving grew up on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

He attended public schools and his boyhood friends included William Safire, the late columnist and speechwriter for President Richard Nixon.

He attended Cornell University and stayed on for a year after graduation in 1951 on a creative writing fellowship. He worked odd jobs after leaving academia and traveled to Europe, where he finished his first novel, “On a Darkling Plain.”

In all, Irving wrote more than a dozen books. In recent years, he and sixth wife Julie lived in Mexico, Colorado and Florida.

“I never heard my father complain in any of his divorces. They split up the money, the house, the cars, and he’d start right over again,” Barnaby Irving said.

“And when I lived with him, there was never a day I didn’t hear the clicking of the typewriter.”

This report includes biographical material written by former AP staff writer Gary Kane.

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D3

Clifford Irving, Hughes prankster, dies

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ON GARDENING

Christmas cactus is a living heirloom I

t seems as though every year since I graduated from Texas A&M I have been asked how to get poinsettias to re-bloom. It doesn’t take long into the discussion before the gardener knows the task is more than formidable. On the other hand, the Christmas cactus, NORMAN so rare in beauty, WINTER is actually easy to grow and rebloom, maybe for the rest of your life. In fact this is a plant that I often find as a hand-me-down from mom or grandma.

The cacti I used to have in my office were living, blooming proof. Although I had them for several years, they were abandoned for weeks on end during the spring and fall garden season when I was on the road. If they got water or any other light than sitting in a north window, they were lucky.

Every year, however, they rewarded me with their floral displays as if I were a long lost friend, or as if I had been pampering them for months. It was almost incredible. I visited two places before I wrote this to make sure this plant had now fallen out of favor. They were in several different colors. It is amazing that these plants are for sale at these unbelievably low prices.

The Christmas cactus is one of those plants that trigger fierce arguments over its botanical name and even the common name.

You would think with a plant this beautiful we could just all get along. First, is it a Christmas cactus or a Thanksgiving cactus?

Don’t bring that up at the dinner table; no use fighting.

I am just thankful for it whenM ever it blooms. Even though my 1 stores selling the plants on Dec.

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The Christmas cactus is one of the easiest holiday plants to get to rebloom.

19 called them the zygocactus, that name is no longer correct.

Who cares right? Botanically speaking, most taxonomical authorities say the Christmas cacti sold are Schlumbergera x buckleyi, which is a cross between S. truncata and S. russeliana. In fact, there are more than 200 named cultivars. Then there are other reputable sources that say, nope they are Schlumbergera bridgesii. Oh my gosh I nominate them for congress.

The bloom period of these hybrids may be somewhat controlled by the amount of uninterrupted darkness the plant receives. You can delay blooming by giving more light. Once the plant receives 12 to 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness each day, buds will usually start to form.

Most of you that have been reading my columns for the past 20 plus years have gathered that I’m a tropical plant nut. Absolutely, and guess where the Christmas cactus is from? This true cactus, minus thorns, is native to the South American rain forest. In Brazil, they grow on tree

trunks and limb alongside orchids and bromeliads, wherever rainwater quickly drains away.

Their flowers are almost iridescent in shades of lavender, fuchsia, orange, red and white.

Despite the neglect I gave mine back at the office, it is best to keep them in a bright, cool location. Keep the soil lightly moist, but never soggy. Don’t fertilize until growth begins in the spring.

Once temperatures stay above freezing, you can move the Christmas cactus outdoors for the spring and summer. Keep it in an area that is shaded, especially in the afternoon. Feed with a dilute water-soluble fertilizer every other time you water. Around the first of October next year, place it in an area where it will receive no light for about 12 hours each late afternoon and night. Buds should start to develop around the first of November and open between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

You can start new Christmas cacti by simply taking stem sections of two or three segments and sticking them in very porous, moist potting soil. I actually

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The Christmas Cactus is actually comprised of colorful iridescent bracts. prefer sand. They will root very quickly. These tropical cacti are fun to grow and in my opinion the easiest holiday plant to get to rebloom. Buy some now and start a tradition whereby your children or grandchildren see them blooming each Thanksgiving or Christmas at your home. You will be making lasting memories.

Norman Winter is director of the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens at the Historic Bamboo Farm, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, and an author. Follow him at: @CGBGgardenguru.

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HOME

| FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2017

DECATUR HERALD & REVIEW

The White House’s Grand Foyer and Cross Hall are decorated with “The Nutcracker Suite” theme.

CAROLYN KASTER PHOTOS, ASSOCIATED PRESS

A White House Christmas DARLENE SUPERVILLE

Associated Press

W

ASHINGTON — First lady Melania Trump has opted for a more traditional decor for her family’s first Christmas in the White House, adding a few new touches to the standards.

New this year are wreaths hanging from the exterior of every window. Another new touch are glistening wintry branches lining an East Wing hallway that leads guests to a tree decorated with the Trump family’s official Christmas ornament, a gold-toned bauble featuring the presidential coat of arms surrounded by a wreath of holly.

The family Christmas card is framed and on display. “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,” says the card signed by President Donald Trump, the first lady and Barron, their 11-year-old son.

Her theme is “Time-Honored Traditions,” which the White House said pays respect to 200 years of holiday traditions at the executive mansion.

The Gingerbread White House

By the numbers

ABOVE: The East Colonnade is decorated with white branches that lead to a Christmas tree in the East Garden Room.

BELOW: A ballerina and the official first family ornament decorate trees in the White House.

53

1,600

The number of Christmas trees in the White House.

The number of hours volunteers spent decorating.

71

18,000

The number of wreaths hanging in the White House.

The number of lights used to decorate the White House.

350

25,000

The weight in pounds The number of visof the White House itors who will tour gingerbread house. the White House this holiday season.

Workshop From D1

Christmas also has installed decorations in 35 cities around the country. It’s even put a glittering bow on the Cartier store in Sydney, Australia.

Schwam, who was just 21 years old when he took over American Christmas in 1988, said he was approached in 2015 by the Innsbruck, Austria-based holiday decoration company MK Illumination about a possible acquisition, and the deal closed just before this year’s holiday rush. Schwam said nothing has changed at American Christmas but the merger should open up more international opportunities.

The company’s New York City clients include such stores as Tommy Hilfiger, Harry Winston and Ferragamo, which has been revamped this year with red, gold and white lights in a crossover design inspired by a strappy sanMARY ALTAFFER, ASSOCIATED PRESS dal from the Italian shoemaker’s archives.

Employees of the American Christmas company set up the Christmas display in front of 1221 Avenue of the Americas in Midtown Manhattan.

Schwam pointed out one of his Displays at Radio City Music Hall, Saks Fifth Avenue and Rockefeller Center, except for the giant tree, are also among the 700 separate holiday favorite displays, the string of displays the company will do this year alone. giant-sized Christmas lights in front of the former McGraw-Hill Building in midtown Manhattan.

A large band figurine is stored Schwam said he and the comat the American Christmas pany’s creative director were company warehouse. brainstorming one day when they SETH WENIG, ASSOCIATED PRESS spotted a string of mini-lights.

“We looked at it and decided that’s the idea, we just need to make it bigger than us.”

A stream of tourists stopped to take selfies in front of the giant lights this week.

“At first I couldn’t figure out what it was,” said Patty Wilson, of Billings, Montana. “As we came up closer I saw that it was lights. I think it’s very unusual and it’s cool.”

LEFT: Employees set up Christmas decorations in the lobby of 1221 Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan.

MARY ALTAFFER, ASSOCIATED PRESS

M 1

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2017

Decatur Herald & Review

PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN

BEETLE BAILEY

BLONDIE

By Dana Simpson

By Mort, Greg & Brian Walker

By Dean Young

GARFIELD

PICKLES

BORN LOSER

By Art and Chip Sansom

DILBERT

By Scott Adams

MUTTS

By Bil Keane ONE BIG HAPPY

By Rick Detorie

By Stephan Pastis

By Brian Crane

MARMADUKE

FRANK AND ERNEST

FEATURES D5 Friday, December 22, 2017 | D5

By Jim Davis

THE FAMILY CIRCUS

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE

DECATUR, ILLINOIS

By Brad Anderson ZIGGY

By Tom Wilson

By Bob Thaves

By Patrick McDonnell

HOROSCOPES

ZITS

BABY BLUES

SHOE

M 1

By Jim Borgman and Jerry Scott

By Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott

By Gary Brookins and Susie MacNelly

People aren’t born appreciating tastes that fall into the “bitter” category. Coffee, beer, leafy greens, grapefruit -- all acquired tastes, and yet, these foods are favorites for many. Bitter experiences can have a similar addictive quality. For some strange reason, we keep coming back. Mercury straightens out to help us investigate the phenomenon.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 22).

Reach out to important people who can help you move toward your dream.

Boldness will be rewarded many times in 2018. Though you don’t require people to be anything other than how they are, family will make you very proud. You’ll work for the sheer enjoyment of it and make a killing. Gemini and Pisces adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 19, 40, 23, 38 and 15.

ARIES (March 21-April 19).

Good fortune sometimes steals the credit that should really have gone to good planning. With this in mind, what can you start today that might pay you 10 years from now? Do it.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20).

If you could see everyone’s thoughts, half the people wouldn’t look nearly as confident. Self-doubt is really irrelevant to the success equation. Keep going through the motions necessary to make something happen.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21).

People talk about problems. It could help, although it could also be an addiction to the release and attention that come with complaining. As for speaking of your joys, make sure you’re talking to supporters who won’t be jealous.

CANCER (June 22-July 22).

When your day is touched by nature, it’s also touched by wonder. Your connection to nature makes you bigger and smaller all at once. It gives you a sense of belonging to life.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22).

Knowledge is a gift that’s light as air, bright as sunbeams and tricky to deliver.

How it’s packaged will matter. Put time and thought into how you’re going to organize and pass on your knowledge. Your immortality depends on it.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22).

To prefer people to be a certain way so that we may easily relate -- this is only natural, and yet incredibly selfish. Also, it keeps our hearts small. Practice loving people as they are, perfectly themselves.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23).

Just before the bend, you’ve no clue as to the shape of the road ahead. There are others who have walked this road a thousand times. Ask, or just follow and enjoy your uncertainty; you only get to be new once.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21).

You know the secret of good service: To be well-served,

you first serve others well.

And though you may not be acknowledged quickly for this today, the reward for getting the job done is that it’s done.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21).

When you think about it and apply yourself, you are creating your life. When you don’t think about it and do whatever, you are creating your life. Either way will work well today, actually.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19).

You have new feelings about your role, or possibly you’re just bored of it. So, you agreed to something. It doesn’t mean you have to keep agreeing to it.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18).

You may feel alone in your ambitions, but it doesn’t have to be this way. You’ll have a greater sense of purpose (and accountability) if you include more people in this. A Taurus or Virgo would be ideal.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20).

You don’t feel the need to prove that you’re unique.

You’ve no big need to stand out either, as you’d much rather connect with others as equal co-creators in a shared experience.

COUPLE OF THE WEEKEND: The Pisces moon will be a warm welcome to these early stages of the Capricorn sun, bringing an atmosphere of compassion and belonging to the holiday scene. Natives of these signs may find themselves magnetized to one another and they will lose all self-consciousness, trepidation and emotional baggage as they give into an attraction that feels inevitably fated.

Holiday Mathis writes for Creators Syndicate

D6

LIFE

| Friday, december 22, 2017

BUZZ

Dec. 22 birthdays Actor Hector Elizondo, 81; country singer Red Steagall, 79; former World Bank Group President Paul Wolfowitz, 74; Baseball Hall of Famer Steve Carlton, 73; former ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer, 72; rock singer-musician Rick Nielsen (Cheap Trick), 69; rock Carlton singer-musician Michael Bacon, 69; Baseball AllStar Steve Garvey, 69; golfer Jan Stephenson, 66; actress BernNadette Stanis, 64; rapper Luther Bell “Luke” Campbell, 57; country singer-musician Chuck Mead, 57; actor Ralph Fiennes, 55; actress Lauralee Bell, 49; country singer Lori McKenna, 49; actress Elizondo Dina Meyer, 49; Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, 47; actress Heather Donahue, 44; actor Chris Carmack, 37; actor Harry Ford, 35; actor Greg Finley, 33; actor Logan Huffman, 28; rhythm-and-blues singer Jordin Sparks, 28; pop singer Meghan Trainor, 24.

Today in history In 1944, during the World War II Battle of the Bulge, U.S. Brig.

Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe rejected a German demand for surrender, writing “Nuts!” in his official reply.

‘Fuller House’ keeps family focus RICK BENTLEY

Tribune News Service

It started with a lunch in 2007.

Jeff Franklin, the man behind numerous television comedy series including “Full House,” was dining with John Stamos, one of the actors who helped turn “Full House” into a ratings hit for ABC. Their conversation finally got around to the state of television, especially the lack of family-friendly programs on the networks.

You have to remember, “Full House” was just one of several shows that could be watched by everyone from toddlers to grandparents when it aired in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Similar shows at that time included “Who’s the Boss?,” “Growing Pains,” “Perfect Strangers,” “Mr. Belvedere,” “The Wonder Years” and “Baby Talk.”

“The kind of programs we grew up on didn’t seem to exist anymore,” Franklin says. “We said that maybe we should make one up and then we thought, ‘No. We have already made one up.’ So we decided to try to bring ‘Full House’ back.”

Not only did they make “Full House” a hit years ago, it continues to thrive in syndication. Executives at Netflix saw that and brought the family-friendly show back with a few tweaks in 2016 with “Fuller House.” The final nine new episodes from the third season of “Fuller House” will be available on the streaming service starting today.

Despite already having a successful track record, Franklin found it far more difficult to get “Fuller House” on the air than he did “Full House.” He pitched the idea to ABC, Nick at Nite, the Disney Channel and other networks of a follow-up series focusing on the older Tanner daughters (Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin) and neighbor Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea Barber) as adults with children of their own.

“I was completely baffled that no one seemed to get that this would be of interest to people,” Franklin says. “It’s so hard to pull an audience these days and to have that kind of built-in interest in the show seemed like a no-brainer.

“I don’t know if it was because the big stars of the show were not attached to it at that time. I just don’t think they understood the power of the brand.”

Franklin based his feelings on the potential of a “Full House” follow-up based on his years working as a producer. His long list of TV credits also include “Laverne & Shirley,” “Bosom Buddies,” “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show,” “Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper” and “Malcolm & Eddie.”

Decatur HeralD & review

TONIGHT’S HIGHLIGHTS ATT

12/22/17

3 # WCIA 12 , WILL 10 1 WAND 2 4 WICS 6 7 WBUI 19 Q WCIX 7 W WRSP 8 ( WSEC

ATT

CHANNELS

37

A&E

32

AMC

46

ANPL

29

BET

39

CNBC

26

CNN

45

COM

43

DISN

31

DSC

27

ESPN

50

FNC

48

FOOD

59

FREE

56

FSMW

54

FX

57

HGTV

51

HALL

20

ION

42

LIFE

40

MSNBC

25

NICK

33

SPIKE

67

SYFY

38

TBS

52

TLC

34

TNT

63

TRUTV

30

USA

24

VH1

9

WGN-A

6:00

6:30

7:00

7:30

8:00

8:30

3 News at 3 News at Six (N) 6:30P (N) PBS NewsHour (N) ’ WAND News at 6 (N) Newschannel 20 at 6 (N) 2 Broke Girls ’ The List (N) ’ The Big Bang Theory Nightly Business Report

6:00

I Love Lucy Christmas Spe- The Dick Van Dyke Show -- cial (N) ’ Now in Living Color! (N) ’ Washington Washington Christmas at Belmont 2017 Week (N) ’ Week (N) ’ (N) ’ Wheel of For- Blindspot Jane and Weller Dateline NBC (N) ’ tune (N) ’ face a toxic secret. (N) ’ Entertainment Shark Tank Product that (:01) Marvel’s Agents of Tonight makes coffee taste better.

S.H.I.E.L.D. “Rewind” (N) ’ Modern Fam- Masters of Illusion: Christ- Greatest Holiday Commerily ’ mas Magic ’ cials Countdown 2017 ’ Dish Nation American Ninja Warrior “Ven- American Ninja Warrior “Ven(N) ’ ice Beach Qualifying” ice Beach Qualifying” The Big Bang Hell’s Kitchen “Trimming Fat; Welcome to the Jungle” Teams Theory re-create six of Ramsay’s dishes. (DVS) Illinois Stories Washington Washington Christmas at Belmont 2017 Week (N) ’ Week (N) ’

6:30

7:00

7:30

8:00

8:30

9:00

9:30

10:00

Blue Bloods Danny protects a released ex-con. ’ Eric Idle’s The Entire Universe (N) ’

3 News at Ten (N) Last of Summer Wine WAND News at 10 (N) (:01) 20/20 ’ Newschannel 20 at 10 (N) FOX Champaign News on Modern FamCW at 9 (N) (Live) ily ’ News on Top 30 (N) ’ American Dad WCIX FOX Springfield News at DailyMailTV Nine (N) (Live) (N) ’ Eric Idle’s The Entire UniAmanpour on verse (N) ’ PBS (N) ’

9:00

9:30

10:00

10:30

11:00

11:30

12:00

12:30

(:35) The Late Show With (:37) The Late Late Show Tips for Great Stephen Colbert ’ With James Corden skin!

BBC World Amanpour on PBS NewsHour ’ NHK NewsNews PBS (N) ’ line ’ (:34) The Tonight Show Star- (:37) Late Night With Seth Last Call W/ Carson Daly ring Jimmy Fallon (N) Meyers ’ (:35) Jimmy Kimmel Live (:37) Nightline Entertainment Cook Smart & Jack Black; Kirk Herbstreit.

(N) Tonight Healthy Seinfeld “The Mike & Molly Mike & Molly Impractical Family Guy Strike” ’ “First Date” Jokers “Petergeist” King of the The Cleveland Mom ’ How I Met RightThisHill ’ Show Your Mother Minute (N) ’ DailyMailTV TMZ (N) ’ Page Six TV Access (N) ’ Get on track (N) ’ (N) ’ with Cue To Be An(Off Air) nounced

10:30

11:00

11:30

12:00

12:30

Live PD Riding along with law (4:00) Live PD Riding along Live PD: Rewind “Live PD: Live PD “Live PD -- 10.06.17” Riding along with law enforcement. ’ Live PD: Rewind “Live PD: enforcement. ’ with law enforcement.

Rewind No. 72” (N) Rewind No. 72” ’ (5:00) ›› “Hocus Pocus” ››› “Ice Age” (2002) Voices of Ray Romano. Animated. Ice ››› “Happy Feet” (2006) Voices of Elijah Wood, Robin Williams. Animated. ›› “Happy Feet Two” (2011, Children’s) (1993) Bette Midler.

Age animals find and travel with a human baby.

An emperor penguin expresses himself through tap-dancing.

Voices of Elijah Wood, Robin Williams.

Animal Cribs A cats-only tree Animal Cribs Building enclo- Animal Cribs “Ultimate Builds” (:01) Animal Cribs “Fluffy (:03) Animal Cribs “Ultimate (:04) Animal Cribs “Fluffy (12:05) Animal Cribs Making a house. ’ Fixer Pupper” (N) ’ Builds” ’ Fixer Pupper” ’ sures for reptiles.

(N) ’ cabin safe for a blind dog.

(4:00) ›› “Tyler Perry’s Good (6:58) ›› “Woman Thou Art Loosed” (2004, Drama) Kimberly Elise, Loretta ››› “Coach Carter” (2005, Drama) Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Ri’chard, Rob Brown. A high-school basketball Deeds” (2012) Devine. A young woman tries to overcome a life of abuse. coach pushes his team to excel.

Shark Tank An innovative Shark Tank Frozen concen- Shark Tank A ticket-free coat Shark Tank Beard oils and Shark Tank The answer to The Job Inter- The Job Inter- The Job Inter- The Job Intershoe accessory. ’ trated gumbo brick. check system. mustache waxes. ’ plastic bottles. ’ view view view view Erin Burnett OutFront (N) CNN Special Report “Secret United Shades of America United Shades of America United Shades of America United Shades of America United Shades of America State: Inside North Korea” “The New KKK” “Behind These Walls” “Chicago Gangs” “Latino, U.S.A.” “Immigrants and Refugees” (3:45) “Meet (:20) ›› “Meet the Fockers” (2004, Comedy) Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Kevin Hart: Seriously Funny Kevin Hart Kevin Hart: Seriously Funny (:35) Dave Chappelle: Killin’ (:40) Chapthe Parents” Dustin Hoffman. Future in-laws clash in Florida.

Them Softly ’ pelle’s Show Andi Mack Andi Mack ’ “Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas!” (2011) Stuck in the Stuck in the Disney Channel Holiday Cel- Bizaardvark ’ Andi Mack ’ Bunk’d ’ Raven’s Home L & M: Cali “Mama” ’ Bridgit Mendler. ‘NR’ Middle Middle ebration Style Gold Rush Todd makes a play Gold Rush: Pay Dirt “The Gold Rush Todd discovers a (:01) Tesla’s Death Ray: A (:01) Gold Rush Todd discov- (:01) Tesla’s Death Ray: A (12:01) Gold Rush “No Crane, for new land. ’ Devil’s Finger” (N) ’ historic mine site. (N) Murder Declassified (N) ’ ers a historic mine site.

Murder Declassified No Gain” ’ College Foot- NBA Count- NBA Basketball Los Angeles Clippers at Houston Rockets. (N) (Live) NBA Basketball Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors. (N) (Live) SportsCenter (N) (Live) ball down (N) The Story With Martha Mac- Tucker Carlson Tonight (N) Hannity (N) The Ingraham Angle (N) Fox News at Night (N) Tucker Carlson Tonight Hannity Callum (N) Diners, Drive Diners, Drive Diners, Drive Diners, Drive Diners, Drive The Grill Dads Diners, Drive Diners, Drive Diners, Drive Diners, Drive Diners, Drive The Grill Dads Diners, Drive Diners, Drive (N) (10:50) ››› “Elf” (2003, Children’s) Will Ferrell. A man leaves “The Polar ››› “The Santa Clause” (1994) Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold. (:40) › “The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause” (2006) Tim Allen. Jack Express” ’ An adman takes over for fallen Santa. ’ Frost wants to freeze Santa out of the North Pole. ’ Santa’s workshop to search for his family. ’ College Basketball Southeast Missouri State at St. Louis.

College Basketball Loyola-Chicago at Missouri State. From Pro Football Inside Notre College Basketball Southeast Missouri State at St. Louis.

From Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis. (N) ’ (Live) Hammons Student Center in Springfield, Mo. (N) Weekly (N) Dame Ftbl From Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis. ’ (5:00) ›› “Penguins of Mada- ›› “Minions” (2015, Children’s) Voices of Sandra Bullock, Jon ›› “Minions” (2015, Children’s) Voices of Sandra Bullock, Jon ››› “22 Jump Street” (2014) Jonah Hill. Officers Jenko and gascar” (2014) ’ Hamm, Michael Keaton. ’ Hamm, Michael Keaton. ’ Schmidt go under cover at a college. ’ House Hunt- House Hunt- Fixer Upper Bryce and Emily Fixer Upper Gayle and Tim Fixer Upper Courtney and Fixer Upper “Austin Couple Fixer Upper Gayle and Tim Fixer Upper Courtney and ers ers Sandvall get a new home. need help.

Joey are ready to upgrade.

Finds Waco Charm” need help.

Joey are ready to upgrade.

(5:00) “Christmas at Holly “Christmas Under Wraps” (2014) Candace Cameron Bure. A “The Christmas Cottage” (2017) Merritt Patterson. A cynical “Christmas Incorporated” (2015) Shenae Grimes-Beech.

Lodge” (2017, Drama) doctor discovers an Alaskan town’s holiday secret. designer decorates the romantic Christmas cottage.

Riley lands an assistant position for a socialite.

Law & Order: Special Victims Law & Order: Special Victims Law & Order: Special Victims Law & Order: Special Victims Law & Order: Special Victims Law & Order: Special Victims Psych A spy seeks Shawn and Unit “Responsible” ’ Unit “Florida” Unit “Annihilated” ’ Unit “Pretend” Unit “Screwed” Unit “Alternate” Gus’ help. ’ (5:00) “Wrapped Up in Christ- Bring It! Oz-inspired choreog- Bring It! Coach D and the (:02) The Rap Game “Holiday (:03) Bring It! Coach D and (:01) Bring It! Oz-inspired cho- (12:01) Bring It! “A Very Bring mas” (2017) raphy challenge. (N) Dancing Dolls celebrate. (N) Remix” (N) the Dancing Dolls celebrate. reography challenge.

It! Holiday” Hardball With Chris MatAll In With Chris Hayes (N) The Rachel Maddow Show The Last Word With LawThe 11th Hour With Brian The Rachel Maddow Show The Last Word With Lawthews (N) (N) rence O’Donnell (N) Williams (N) rence O’Donnell The Loud SpongeBob ››› “Megamind” (2010, Children’s) Voices of Will Ferrell, Friends ’ Friends ’ Friends ’ Two and a (:32) Two and Fresh Prince Fresh Prince Friends ’ House SquarePants Brad Pitt, Tina Fey. ’ Half Men ’ a Half Men of Bel-Air of Bel-Air Friends ’ Friends ’ Friends Friends ››› “Pretty Woman” (1990, Romance-Comedy) Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, Ralph Bellamy. ››› “Love Actually” (2003) Hugh Grant, Laura Linney. VariA corporate raider hires a hooker to act as a business escort. ’ ous people deal with relationships in London. ’ (4:00) ›› “The Lone Ranger” Futurama ’ Futurama ’ Futurama ’ Futurama ’ Futurama ’ Futurama ’ Futurama ’ Futurama ’ Futurama ’ (:32) Fu(12:02) Fu(:32) Fu(2013) (DVS) turama turama turama Family Guy ’ The Big Bang The Big Bang The Big Bang The Big Bang The Big Bang Surprise! Instant Xmas Carol! Snoop Dogg: Drop the Mic ELEAGUE The ELeague Cup: ›› “Tron: Legacy” (2010) Jeff Theory ’ Theory ’ Theory ’ Theory ’ Theory ’ (DVS) Joker’s Wild Rocket League Finals.

Bridges. Premiere.

Untold Stories of the E.R. Untold Stories of the E.R. A Untold Stories of the E.R.: Santa Sent Me to the ER ’ Untold Stories of the E.R.: Santa Sent Me to the ER ’ Untold Stories of the E.R. A “Radioactive Rocks” patient’s violent outbursts.

Holiday ER ’ Holiday ER ’ patient’s violent outbursts.

Dr. Seuss’ ›››› “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) Judy Garland. A tornado Dr. Seuss’ (:15) ›› “A Christmas Carol” (1999, Fantasy) Patrick Stewart, (:15) ›› “McFarland, USA” (2015, Docudrama) Kevin Costner, Grinch whisks a Kansas farm girl to a magic land.

Grinch Richard E. Grant, Joel Grey. (DVS) Maria Bello, Morgan Saylor. (DVS) Impractical Impractical Impractical Impractical Impractical Impractical Impractical Impractical Impractical Impractical Impractical Impractical Impractical Impractical Jokers Jokers Jokers Jokers Jokers Jokers Jokers Jokers Jokers Jokers Jokers Jokers Jokers Jokers Modern Fam- Modern Fam- Modern Fam- Modern Fam- Modern Fam- Modern Fam- Modern Fam- Modern Fam- Modern Fam- Modern Fam- Modern Fam- Modern Fam- Chrisley Chrisley ily ’ ily ’ ily ’ ily ’ ily ’ ily ’ ily ’ ily ’ ily ’ ily ’ ily ’ ily ’ Knows Best Knows Best (4:20) ›› “Love Don’t Cost a ››› “Drumline” (2002, Comedy-Drama) Nick Cannon, Zoe Saldana. Rivalry ›› “Stomp the Yard” (2007, Drama) Columbus Short, Meagan Good, Ne-Yo. ››› “Boyz N the Hood” Thing” (2003) ’ between two drummers threatens a college band. ’ A troubled dancer enrolls in college. ’ (1991) Larry Fishburne. ’ M*A*S*H M*A*S*H “The M*A*S*H M*A*S*H M*A*S*H “Dear M*A*S*H “Der M*A*S*H M*A*S*H M*A*S*H M*A*S*H Rules of En- Rules of En- Rules of En- How I Met Gun” Ma” Tag” “Hawkeye” gagement ’ gagement ’ gagement ’ Your Mother

AT HOME WITH MARNI JAMESON

Part I: Looking back at 2017

I

t’s that time. The time of year when I look back at the weekly columns I have shared with you over the past 12 months, and try to glean the one best piece of advice I stumbled upon each month.

Then I wrap those lessons up for you here, in a two-part series, 12-days-ofChristmas style.

Here are the first six: IN JANUARY, organizing month, I got serious about MARNI JAMESON taming the tough stuff. Most of my house was under control (until we get to April), but certain pockets and categories defied order. For instance, I had yard tools propped in the garage like assault weapons.

Every time I bumped one, it threatened to behead me. So, I uncovered tricks to tame our most unruly possessions, including scarves, kitchen utensils, shoes, toys, and yes, garden tools. The day I seized control, I mounted pegboard on my garage wall, where, using an adjustable hook system, I hung not only the garden tools, but also saws, mechanics lights, extension cords and lawn chairs. Off the floor, these items no longer lie in wait.

Lesson. You can make anything, even your most unruly possessions, orderly.

IN FEBRUARY, I broke out of a design rut, and, with a few small moves, revived my dated dining room without buying new furniture, only accessories. By trading a pair of round carved mirrors for modern clean-edged ones, painting the room an updated blue, and switching out the traditional area rug and light fixture for contemporary ones, I took the room from traditional to transitional. What a difference.

Lesson. Many people live with outdated décor because they think the only alternative is to start from scratch. But changing the accessories can be transforming.

IN MARCH, I said good-bye to my Colorado home. Though I’d moved from Colorado six years earlier, selling the home where I’d raised my family for eight years was bittersweet. At the closing, after we’d drained a dozen pens signing forms, and I’d started to gather my things, I overheard the lender say to the buyers: “Congratulations on your new house.”

And I froze to take in the first moment in 14 years that I was no longer responsible for this house. Before going to the airport, I drove by the old house, and sat out front. I felt as if I were opening an old favorite book. I took a minute to thank the house for the shelter it provided my family, the celebrations it oversaw, and for its embrace.

Lesson: One, it is possible to very much want something that makes you sad. Two, always say a proper good-bye to the places you’ve lived.

IN APRIL, chaos came to our once orderly home to stay.

Toys were everywhere. A fullnight’s sleep became a luxury of the past, and my husband’s and my deepest conversations revolved around potty training, feeding schedules, naps, and detailed reports of what went in and came out when. We got a puppy.

Lesson: If you want a pristine, immaculate, well-ordered home, don’t have kids or pets.

But that is not the life for me.

If pets are part of your home life, design with them in mind.

I splurged on fun pet home accessories: handsome food bowls, a gorgeous porcelain treat jar with a ceramic bone handle, and good-looking beds. (I like Jax & Bones and Wash ‘N Zip.) All for puppy love.

IN MAY, a rug dealer DC and I met months earlier while on a cruise that stopped in Turkey called to say he was in Florida, with a large collection of rugs.

He wanted to stop by. “Absolutely not,” I told DC. I’ve always been highly suspicious of foreign rug dealers. But DC

Turkish rug merchant Hakan Zor and the author pictured here with the rug they decided was the best choice for this living area.

I now understand why designers say if you can only splurge on one item in your home, make it a great rug. Warning: once you learn to appreciate fine handmade rugs, you can’t go back. wanted to go for it: “If you want to step up our décor, this would be a good way to do it.”

The next afternoon, Hakan Zor and his partner Sam pulled up with a van full of rugs, and so began one of the most memorable evenings DC and I have ever had – one spent talking over grilled-cheese sandwiches and wine about Turkish and American politics, our families, and, of course, the wide, wonderful world of handmade rugs.

By the end of the night, Hakan and Sam had turned this once resistant, distrusting rug shopper into an enlightened consumer of this ancient artform — and sold us three rugs.

Lesson. I now understand why designers say if you can only splurge on one item in

your home, make it a great rug.

Warning: once you learn to appreciate fine handmade rugs, you can’t go back.

IN JUNE, I learned how to age gracefully from a wine class. DC and I had been taking wine-tasting classes. He learned about wine, while I drank it, which was perfect.

At one class, a fifth-generation winemaker explained the difference between a young wine and an old one. “A young wine,” he said, “is nice to have dinner with, once. A middle-aged wine makes for a more interesting dinner companion because it has more to talk about. An old, well-preserved wine has even more complexity, and is one you want to have dinner with again,

and again.”

This made me feel better, since I had been lamenting my own bygone youth when my skin would hold its own self up, when I could read the fine print without rummaging for glasses, and when my knees did what I asked them to without argument. Hence my new mantra: I’m not getting older.

I’m getting more interesting!

Lesson: When storing wines at home, keep them dark, cool, and lying down. If cared for properly, great wines get more interesting as they age – and so do we. Cheers!

Syndicated columnist marni Jameson is the author of two home and lifestyle books. See www.marnijameson.com.

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