Check out these fun, family-friendly events at the Du Quoin State Fair

Press release from the Illinois Department of Agriculture

Du Quoin, IL. – The holiday weekend is finally here!  Friday is Sponsor Appreciation Day presented by Pepsi-Mid America. It is a day set aside to thank our generous sponsors for all they do to help put on this 11-day showcase. The fair gates open on Friday at 2:00pm, and the Carnival will be churning out thrills and shrills starting at 4pm.

Saturday is Coal Heritage Day at the Du Quoin State Fair.  On this day we honors past and current coal miners for their hard work and dedication to an industry that has made southern Illinois so great.

Sunday is First Responder Day.  All police, fire and EMT personnel who show their badge at the gate will receive free admission to the fair.

Monday, Labor Day, is the final day of the fair.  On Monday’s Family Day we encourage families throughout southern Illinois to send the summer out in style by attending the Du Quoin State Fair.

The fair gates open on Saturday and the remainder of the holiday weekend at 10:00am, with the Carnival opening at noon.  Be sure to check out some of these other fun, family friendly activities at the Du Quoin State Fair.

Friday:
Southern Illinoisan Free Tent:  Magic Mike performs at 4pm
Beer Tent:  Cause of Rain performs at 5pm
Hayes Avenue:  Cirque Extreme Show begins at 5pm, 6:30pm, 7:30pm
Main Street:  RC Racing starts at 5:30pm, 7pm
Southern Illinoisan Free Tent:  Hooper the Hypnotist at 6pm
Grandstand:  Switchfoot & Lifehouse perform at 7:30pm (tickets still available!)

Beer Tent:  Party Pants take the stage at 8:30pm
Saturday:

Coca-Cola Horse Arena:  Heavy Horse Pull at 12pm
Expo Hall:  Illinois Products Expo (free samples!)
Beer Tent:  Chris Sloan performs at 2pm
Southern Illinoisan Free Tent:  The Alley Cats perform at 2pm
SI Center:  Demolition Derby at 7pm (tickets still available)
Coca-Cola Horse Arena:  Professional IPRA Rodeo at 7pm
Grandstand: The Cadillac Three with Logan Mize & Chris Cavanaugh will perform at 7:30pm (tickets still available)

Sunday:
Expo Hall:  Illinois Products Expo (free samples!)
Expo Hall Lake:  Southern Illinois Ducky Derby Parade at 1pm
Expo Hall Lake:  Southern Illinois Ducky Derby Race at 3pm
Beer Tent: West of 57 takes the stage at 2pm
Southern Illinois Free Tent: Magic Mike performs at 3pm
Coca-Cola Horse Arena:  Professional IPRA Rodeo starts at 7pm
Grandstand: USAC Silver Crown Ted Horn 100 at 8pm
Beer Tent: Trampled Underfoot performs at 8:30pm

Monday:
Coca-Cola Horse Arena:  Illinois (IBRA) Barrel Racing at 10am
Beer Tent:  Dirtwater Fox performs at 2pm
Southern Illinoisan Free Tent: Hooper the Hypnotist starts at 3pm
Grandstand:  ARCA Racing Series at 3pm
Beer Tent:  The Kearney Brothers start at 7pm
Beer Tent: Downstate Music Company at 8:30pm
Check out all of the fun activities planned for the 2017 DuQuoin State Fair by visiting our website, www.duquoinstatefair.net.

from the City of Benton

Welcome to the 2017 Benton Fall Festival information and registration page! We’re excited you’re interested in this year’s event! We’ve got a lot planned for our Fall Fest including closing down the Square, Trunk or Treat, hayrides, costume contests for both kids and pets, crafts, vendors, food and more! We’ll create an event page on Facebook once a complete event schedule is confirmed.

Until then, save the date to attend – October 28th from 4-8 p.m.!

Anyone who would like to participate in the event, such as a vendor, crafter, business or organization, please check out the links below. The documents provided will help you register for the event. The documents also clearly spell out the information you’ll need based on your organization and whether or not you’re profiting from your booth. For those interested in the Trunk or Treat ONLY – please fill out the doc and return it to City Hall for processing.

If you’d like to attend one of our Fall Festival Planning Committee meetings, please check the City’s calendar, provided at the bottom right side of our homepage, for scheduled dates. If you’d like further information or have any questions, please email Rachel Gartner at rgartner@bentonil.com or give her a call at 618-439-6131 ex 407.

Thanks again for your interest! We’re excited for this year’s festivities!

Invitation to Participate

Vendor Registration Form

Organization Registration Form

2017 Trunk or Treat Registration Form

by ReAnne Palmer, Rend Lake College Public Information

INA, IL – Tables are filling up at Rend Lake College’s Glo Bingo event, set for 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9. The event will be held at the RLC Rec, located on the Ina campus, and will raise funds for improvements in the college’s Learning Resource Center library.
Before breaking out the cards and dabbers, enjoy a chicken and dumpling dinner provided by the Franklin County 4-H Federation, which includes salad, corn, tea and lemonade for a ticket price of $10 per person.

After dinner ends at 7 p.m., attendees can purchase Glo Bingo tickets for $25, which includes six bingo cards, a glow hat, and a glow dabber. Additional bingo cards are available for purchase for $5 per six cards.

Attendees who plan to eat dinner and play bingo can purchase a meal ticket and the bingo pack for a discounted rate of $30 total. Competitors will have the chance to win over $1,000 in cash prizes. There will also be a 50/50 raffle, silent auction, and early bird and middle bird raffle games at the door.

Seats for the event are limited. No outside food or beverages are allowed. Glo Bingo participants must be over the age of 18. For more information or to purchase advance tickets, contact the Learning Resource Center at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1308. For groups interested in participating, tables can be reserved by calling ahead for advance ticket purchases.

From Chirsti Mathis – SIUC News Services

CARBONDALE, IL – With fun activities and a supportive atmosphere, Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Fresh Check Day will serve as an uplifting way of promoting awareness and discussions about mental health and suicide prevention.

Fresh Check Day is set for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 8 on the Morris Library lawn. Numerous campus departments and groups are collaborating for the interactive event which will feature giveaways, free food, special entertainment, peer-to-peer discussions, expo booths and information about available resources.

“This is a great way for students to get connected and have fun,” said Beth Morrison, wellness coordinator. “We want to create an approachable atmosphere where students are encouraged to engage in dialogue about mental health. We also want to build bridges between them and the many mental health resources available.”

SIU is sponsoring its inaugural Fresh Check Day thanks to the “Salukis on Your Side” Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention Grant and the Jordan Porco Foundation. The Jordan Porco Foundation is a non-profit organization created by Ernie and Marisa Porco in honor of their son, Jordan, who died by suicide when he was a college freshman. The foundation seeks to promote mental health and prevent suicide, striving to reduce the stigma of seeking help and giving young adults a message of hope and support. Similar events are slated at dozens of schools across the country.

In the event of rain, SIU’s Fresh Check Day will be in the Student Recreation Center’s Alumni Lounge. Visit www.freshcheckday.com/SIUC to learn more

https://www.ilnews.org/news/state_politics/illinois-house-approves-compromise-education-funding-reform-measure-after-initially/article_b50be724-8c45-11e7-814b-ab1c6b260e1c.html

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SPRINGFIELD, IL –  (Cole Latterback and DanMcCaleb, Illinois News Network.  Please click on the link above for the full story.  Here is an excerpt below.

Given a second chance, the Illinois House opted for compromise.

After initially voting against a compromise education funding reform measure that includes a school-choice scholarship program supported by Gov. Bruce Rauner, representatives reconsidered and, in a dramatic revote Monday night, approved it.

The compromise plan allows for some unfunded mandate relief for schools, as well as creates a school choice plan that would give up to 6,000 lower-income students annually an opportunity to attend the private school of their choice. The compromise plan, supported by Rauner and a majority of Republicans, would allow for voluntary, tax-deductible donations, capped at $75 million annually, toward school choice scholarships. The pilot program would expire after five years unless renewed.

The mandate relief items include allowing school districts to reduce physical education requirements to three days a week and allowing student athletes in grades 7-10 to be exempt from phys. ed. Student athletes in grades 11 and 12 already are entitled to the exemption. School districts also would be able to contract drivers’ education out to a third party without having to go through an exemption process. Other unfunded mandate waiver requests would go through an expedited review by the four legislative leaders rather than through the full General Assembly.