Scholarships, grants available for youth

Applications for Farm Credit Illinois’ annual agriculture scholarship and community improvement grant programs are open until Feb. 29, 2024.

Agriculture scholarships

High school seniors pursuing an ag-related curricula or trade in a college or vocational school next fall in pursuit of a career on the farm or in the industry are invited to apply for a $2,500 Farm Credit Illinois Agriculture Scholarship. Thirty scholarships will be awarded in 2024 with two applicants of color to be designated “Diversity in Agriculture Scholars.”

IAA offers scholarships to support agriculture, Illinois Farm Bureau families 

More than $192,000 in scholarships are available for agriculture students through the IAA Foundation.

“We are once again pleased to offer a scholarship program that encourages students to explore degrees in agriculture related fields,” said Jennifer Smith, IAA Foundation development manager. “It is imperative that the next generation of agriculture leaders receives the financial support they need to stay immersed in their education and build their career in agriculture.”

Culbertson Memorial Foundation health profession scholarships available for high school seniors

The Culbertson Memorial Hospital (CMH) Foundation is announcing applications are now available for three $1,000 scholarships from the Elmer Taylor Health Profession Scholarship fund. These scholarships are open to area high school seniors who reside in the Sarah D. Culbertson Memorial Hospital service area of Schuyler, Cass, and South Fulton Counties who are entering a healthcare related field of study that is currently available at Sarah D. Culbertson Memorial Hospital.

cooking soup

Bits & Pieces – Cooking like Mom nearly impossible

I admire those who know their way around the kitchen and know what they’re doing when they’re cooking.

I was raised by one of the best cooks ever---my mom. Although she never learned how to cook while growing up, she was married at 16 and a mother at the age of 21. As a young bride, she knew she had a lot to learn in the area of cooking. The one person that took her under her wing was her mother-in-law, my dad’s mom, Grandma Rahn.

JBS USA awarded ‘2023 Processor of the Year’

JBS USA has been awarded 2023 Processor of the Year honors by Food Processing magazine and over 2,000 workers in Beardstown, along with more than 67,000 US employees, helped lead the way to earning this prestigious distinction. 

LLCC announces fall 2023 full-time/part-time President’s and Vice President’s lists

Lincoln Land Community College (LLCC) has announced its full-time and part-time President’s and Vice President’s lists for the fall 2023 semester. 

Full-time students who earned a 4.0 grade point average (GPA) are noted with an asterisk and earned President’s list honors. Full-time students who earned between a GPA of 3.5-3.99 earned Vice President’s list honors. Full-time students are enrolled in 12 or more credit hours.

Cass-Morgan Farm Bureau ‘Feed the Gator’

The Cass-Morgan Farm Bureau Young Leaders will be at Hy-Vee in Jacksonville on from 9 a.m. Noon Saturday, February 10th,  to collect can food items to donate to the local food bank. They are partnering with Sloan Implement in Riggston who is bringing their John Deere Gator UTV to fill up with dry and can goods. Sloan is also graciously matching $1 per donated item. CMFB will also be giving away some items to donors while supplies last!

bible and cross

Focus on Faith – The Revelation of Jesus Christ

The average Christian is afraid of at least one book in the Bible: Revelation. The visions given to St. John of the Beast and the Dragon are startling, but really we are taken aback by the wholesale destruction of the earth. Plagues, stars falling, Death riding a pale horse. These images are a far cry from Jesus carrying a sheep in His arms or God helping us to mount up with wings like eagles. Nevertheless, I assure you, the book of Revelation wasn’t meant to scare or terrify us. It was written to do the exact opposite: comfort us. 

Trojans

Pawnee drops young Trojans

For the second straight year, the season of a very good Triopia Trojan eighth grade basketball team was ended by a very good Pawnee eighth grade basketball team.  

After a second-round win over a pesky Springfield Little Flower team, the young Trojans lost to Pawnee 39 to 32 in the Regional Championship game held at Springfield Blessed Sacrament last Thursday.

Lady Tigers upset Mustangs

The Beardstown Lady Tigers picked up a conference win and a nice momentum builder heading to regionals with a 46 to 43 road win last Thursday over the Mendon Unity Mustangs.  The Mustangs were 15-11 prior to the loss and had beaten the Tigers 43 to 27 on November 18 and 42 to 29 in the Lady Tiger Classic. Beardstown opened the week with a tough 55 to 54 conference road loss to Liberty on Tuesday.