Dense Fog Advisory (July 31, early morning 6 - 8 a.m. Central) - Shelby County, IL

WEATHER STATEMENT UNTIL 8AM CDT SUNDAY;

A BAND OF PATCHY DENSE FOG HAS DEVELOPED ACROSS WEST CENTRAL TO EAST CENTRAL ILLINOIS THIS MORNING. VISIBILITY MAY VARY OVER SHORT DISTANCES AND COULD FALL TO BELOW ONE HALF MILE AT TIMES. FOG WILL DISSIPATE BY 9 AM. MOTORISTS SHOULD DRIVE WITH CAUTION... USE LOW BEAMS... REDUCE SPEED... AND ALLOW EXTRA ROOM BETWEEN YOU AND OTHER CARS.

Public Library book sale (July 30, 2016) - Effingham IL (central southern region)

Effingham Public Library

Saturday, July 30, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Join us for our One-Day Summer Book Sale on Saturday, July 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the basement Book Sale and Luttrell Rooms!

http://engagedpatrons.org/Events.cfm?SiteID=4680

Who is Tenzin Gyatso? Happy Birthday to this Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

July 27th 2016

My dear brothers and sisters,
I would like to thank you for your greetings and good wishes on the occasion of my 81st birthday.
What would make me happier still would be if these good wishes were transformed into a wider sense of warm-heartedness; if people acted more out of a genuine concern for each other's well being. Simply put, this means: Be of help to others if you can. If you can’t, at least avoid causing harm to others.
On 8th July, I returned to Dharamsala after a week’s stay in Tibetan settlements in South India, preceded by a three-week visit to the USA. I have always been deeply touched by the affection and friendship shown to me by people from all walks of life.
With my prayers and good wishes,
Dalai Lama
http://dalailama.com/news/post/1425-thank-you-from-his-holiness-the-dalai-lama

August tele-conference on early detection Alzheimer's Disease (with noted physician - researcher)

from e-notification (ALZ dot-org: national Alzheimer's Disease prevention website):

Sign up for August’s educational program by phone

Join us on August 9, 2016 from noon to 1 p.m. Central Time Zone, on Reducing the Risk of Developing Alzheimer’s Disease. Today, one in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia. Can anything be done to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, or to delay its onset? Dr. Demetrius Maraganore, a board-certified neurologist, will share the latest research on the management of risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

On July 27 -- historic treaty ended three years of Korean War fierce battles

From NY TIMES list serv (On this Date in History):
On July 27, 1953, the Korean War armistice was signed at Panmunjom, ending three years of fighting.

Happy 150th Birthday to Beatrix Potter (children's author / illustrator) -- July 28 -- article by Nate Pedersen

from BIBLIO dot-com website (book collecting and selling):

Four Unknown Beatrix Potter Illustrations Found in England

By Nate Pedersen, Fine Books & Collections (July 11, 2016)
Four previously unknown Beatrix Potter illustrations were found tucked away in the library at Melford Hall, a Tudor mansion and National Trust property in Suffolk, England.
The drawings focus on interior and exterior scenes of Melford Hall itself, which was frequently visited by Potter between 1899 and 1938 when her cousin Ethel Leech lived there with her husband and three children. Conservation work unearthed the drawings. House manager Josephine Waters and a colleague were moving bookcases when they discovered the drawings tucked away in some of the old books. Waters immediately recognized Potter’s unique style.

Beatrix Potter illustration [Image from the National Trust]

“I am never going to forget it, it was the most amazing moment. It made me catch my breath, a real spine-tingling moment,” Waters said in an interview with the Guardian. “Still now, when I think about it, I get that special feeling. It is the sort of thing you dream of when you are working with a historic collection, that you will discover something new.”
It’s been quite a year for Beatrix Potter fans, with a previously unpublished Potter story set to be released in September, Peter Rabbit showing up on a British coin, and the author’s 150th birthday just around the corner on July 28.

Flash Flood Alert 5:46 a.m. (Effingham and surrounding towns & county affected) July 26 early morning

The National Weather Service in Lincoln, IL has issued a Flash Flood Warning for: Western Effingham County in south central Illinois.

• Until 9:45 A.M. CDT.
• At 5:46 A.M. CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing Heavy Rain across the warned area. Up to two inches of rain have already fallen and another one to two inches could fall in the next couple of hours. Flash Flooding is expected to begin shortly.
• Some locations that will experience flooding include: Effingham, Altamont, Teutopolis, Watson, Shumway. Lake Sara. . .

When it's 97 degrees outside, go to the Zoo! (Washington Post feature article excerpt) July 25 issue (online)

At the zoo, it was plenty hot for the animals, who were mostly nowhere to be seen. There was no evidence of the prairie dogs but their holes; the zebra was just a braying sound coming from the shade of his shed. Even the seals were panting.
But Gina Jackson was there with her zoo-loving son, and she looked downright collected in a linen shirt and cunning summer hat. The Northern California mom said she’s been shocked by Washington’s humidity, but nothing on her dry face betrayed the melting midday distress of most of those around her.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/cower-in-the-air-conditioning-on-a-100-degree-day-not-these-heat-defying-folks/2016/07/25/7d90277a-5298-11e6-b7de-dfe509430c39_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories-2_heat-1115pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory
By Steve Hendrix and Theresa Vargas

Local

July 25

Needed repairs to elevator for national Monument to First President (George Washington) - July 23 - 26, 2016

from WASH. POST online article:

Monument will stay shut

until at least Wednesday,

officials say

By Martin Weil  July 25, 2016 at 7:33 PM Eastern Time Zone

The Washington Monument, which closed on Saturday because of elevator problems, will remain shut at least until Wednesday July 27, the National Park Service said.

Parts needed to repair the elevator will arrive Tuesday and are to be installed then, a park service spokesman said. Elevator operation has been halted many times by electrical problems. But the current problem has been described as mechanical, related to the hoist system.

July 31, 1744 -- an awesome day of preaching

from the JOURNAL of Charles Wesley [marked out by Susan Pellowe for her A Wesley family Book of Days (1994, River Street Press):

July 31, 1744
I rode to St. Just.  I climbed up and down Cape Cornwall with my brother Meriton, to the needless hazard of our necks.  I preached in the afternoon to a larger congregation than ever, and continued my discourse till night, from LUKE, xxi 34.  The Spirit of love was poured out abundantly, and great grace was upon all.  I walked to the Society; stood upon the hill, and sang, and prayed, and rejoiced with exceeding great joy.  I concluded the day and month as I would wish to conclude my life.

Thread the Needle (annual observance) July 25

from "National Day Calendar" website:

NATIONAL THREAD THE NEEDLE DAY

National Thread The Needle Day is observed annually on July 25th. This day may be interpreted in a variety of ways as “Threading the Needle” has multiple meanings.

Here are some of the different meanings of “Thread the Needle”:

• Literal meaning – Taking thread and guiding it through a sewing needle
• Metaphorical meaning – Finding a path through two opposing views (often used by politicians).

Clue! Lake Shelbyville Mystery (July 29, 2016)

FROM www.lakeshelbyville.com/


CLUE! Lake Shelbyville Edition
7:00 P.M. - 8:30 P.M.  July 29, 2016
(General)

---

at Bo Wood Amphitheater.  Solve a campground mystery using clues!
All programs and events offered by the Lake Shelbyville, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are free of charge unless otherwise stated.  Children ages 12 & under must be accompanied by an adult for most programs.
1060 CR 1025N Sullivan, IL 61951

Happy Birthday, John Newton (born on this day in 1725): Abolitionist and Hymn writer

from Writer's Almanac (American Public Media : Garrison Keillor):
Sunday July 24 is the birthday of Anglican clergyman and hymn writer John Newton, born in London (1725). His father was a ship’s captain, and his pious mother died when he was seven years old, so he accompanied his father to sea. He once tried to desert the Royal Navy, and was publicly flogged and demoted. Later, another ship traded him as cargo, and he became the servant of an African slave dealer. He ended up a captain and carried slaves between Europe, the sugar plantations of the West Indies, and Africa’s slave coast.
In 1748, he had a spiritual conversion on a journey back to England. He almost drowned in a terrible storm, but he prayed to God, and the ship did not sink. After that, he stopped gambling and drinking, and he married a girl he had loved for many years.
Newton was ordained as a minister. He gave up the slave trade entirely, and later in his life he became an outspoken abolitionist. In his best-selling pamphlet Thoughts Upon the Slave Trade (1788), he described the awful conditions of the slave ships he had captained. By this time, Newton was a well-known preacher and writer of hymns, and the public listened to him. In 1805, the 80-year-old Newton went completely blind, but he didn’t stop working. The slave trade was abolished in the British Empire in March of 1807; Newton died that December.
He is best remembered for his hymns, which include “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken,” “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds,” and “Amazing Grace.”

Presidency of George Washington (learning event sponsored by National Constitution Center) - July 27 at Philadelphia, PA

The Presidency of George Washington

Wednesday, July 27, 2016 at 6:30 p.m.

Independence Mall
525 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106

$7 Members, teachers, & students • $15 public

Award-winning presidential historian Edward Larson, renowned constitutional scholar Akhil Reed Amar, and Douglas Bradburn, founding director of the Washington Library at Mount Vernon, explore Washington’s conception of the presidency during the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates.

Guests will have a rare opportunity to view Washington’s Acts of Congress, which includes his personally annotated copy of the U.S. Constitution.

Registration is recommended for all programs. Call 215-409-6700  to reserve your seats.

For faster check-in you can now present your eTicket at registration.

Seating begins one hour prior to program start time, and programs last approximately one hour unless otherwise noted. Programs begin promptly and latecomers may not be admitted.

New Bishop's installation (IL Great Rivers Conference) - Sept. 11, 2016 -- Springfield, IL

Bishop's Installation Service
set for Sept. 11 at Springfield
First UMC

The Installation Service for new Bishop Frank Beard will be held on

Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016 in the afternoon at Springfield First UMC. The date

is different than was previously announced due to scheduling conflicts

with the meeting of the NCJ College of Bishops.

Humans on earth's satellite surface (fulfilled JFK goal - expectation)

from NY TIMES list-serv:

ON THIS DAY

On July 20, 1969, the astronaut Neil Armstrong
became the first man to walk on the moon.

County Fair at Shelbyville, IL (4-H and Youth) - Tuesday July 19 events

from LakeShelbyville dot-com Calendar (posted online):


Shelby County 4-H and Junior Fair
  July 19, 2016
(General)

---

  Come to the fairgrounds and support the area youth.  This event showcases the youth and their projects.  Cattle, hogs, chickens, lambs, rabbits, dogs, cats, produce, flowers, clothing, aerospace, and much more.  Food demonstrations,  Horse and pony show, dog obedience and agility show.

Hoosiers who aspire for the highest (or VP) office in the land (Wendell Wilkie to Dan Quayle to Mike Pence)

By selecting Mike Pence as his running mate, Donald  Trump has once again put an Indiana politician on center stage in a presidential race and the Hoosier State could be producing yet another vice president.
"Indiana is the mother of vice presidents; home of more second-class men than any other state,” said Thomas Marshall. Having been Woodrow Wilson’s understudy, Marshall, who served as governor of Indiana, knew of what he spoke.
While it’s been solidly Republican in most recent presidential contests--though Barack Obama carried it in 2008--Indiana had been a key swing state at the end of the nineteenth and start of the twentieth centuries. Despite that, the Hoosier State has produced only one president over the years: Benjamin Harrison whose house in Indianapolis ranks as one of the more charming and accessible presidential museums. But, when it comes to vice presidents, Indiana has produced something of a bumper crop.
In 1868, Ulysses S. Grant picked Schuyler Colfax, a Republican from Indiana, as his running mate. Colfax was an anti-slavery Republican who rose to become speaker of the House, a good balance to Grant who had never held elected office before winning the White House. But Colfax played his cards badly, insisting to party leaders that Grant would not run for a second term and positioning himself for 1872. When Grant ran again, Colfax was left scrambling and ended up being denied a second term as vice president. When his name surfaced in the Crédit Mobilier affair, Colfax’s political career was ended.
Thomas Hendricks, who served as a congressman, U.S. senator and governor from Indiana, came close to being vice president in 1876 as Samuel Tilden’s running mate. But Tilden lost out in the disputed contest with Rutherford B. Hayes. Hendricks bounced back in 1884 as the understudy to another New York Democrat in Grover Cleveland. Unfortunately, Hendricks did not have long to enjoy the vice presidency. Hendrick was in bad health when he took office in 1885, dying later that year.
After stints as a political reporter, campaign strategist and senator, Indiana Republican Charles Fairbanks was Teddy Roosevelt’s running mate in 1904. Once in office, Roosevelt was often at odds with the conservative Fairbanks and the vice president even tried to rally conservative Republicans against his boss. After failing to win the Republican presidential nod in 1908, Fairbanks tried to get his old job back in 1916, running as Charles Evans Hughes’ understudy against Woodrow Wilson who won a second term.
Wilson also had a vice president from Indiana in Thomas Marshall. First elected governor in 1908, the affable Marshall was known for his wit and good humor, including his memorable “what this country needs is a really good five-cent cigar" which was a popular political line for years. Marshall also used to relate the story of a mother who had two sons, one of whom went to see and the other was vice president--and neither was ever heard from again. Marshall even sent Wilson a book inscribed “from his only vice.” Apparently Marshall’s wit failed to impress Wilson. The two Democrats were often at loggerheads and, when Wilson was incapacitated  with a stroke, the vice president was left out of the loop.
Indiana became less critical as the twentieth century went on but it did produce one more vice president in Dan Quayle, a U.S. senator who George H.W. Bush selected as his running mate back in 1988. With his infamous series of gaffes, Quayle became a national punchline but he also helped keep conservatives in line behind Bush. In the 2000 election cycle, Quayle attempted a political comeback and ran for the Republican presidential nomination but he didn’t even get to Iowa as George W. Bush, the son of his former boss, ran him over. Fittingly, there’s a vice presidential museum in Huntington, Quayle’s hometown and State Highway 9 is “the Vice Presidential Highway.”
Of course, Indiana had more than its share of losers as well. While he was based in New York, Republican Wendell Willkie played up his Indiana roots when he took on FDR in 1940. Hoosier State resident William H. English, a businessman who had served in Congress in the 1850s, was Civil War hero Winfield Hancock’s running mate on the Democratic ticket in 1880 which lost to James Garfield and Chester A. Arthur. Indiana Democrat John W. Kern, an attorney who ran for governor in 1900 and 1904 unsuccessfully, was William Jennings Bryan’s understudy in 1908. Kern later led Democrats in the U.S. Senate.
http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/mike-pence-latest-long-line-indiana-politicians-running-vp

4-H Fair (Shelby County Illinois) July 18 - 20, 2016

Shelby County 4-H and Junior Fair
  July 18, 2016
(General)

---

Come to the fairgrounds and support the area youth.  This event showcases the youth and their projects.  Cattle, hogs, chickens, lambs, rabbits, dogs, cats, produce, flowers,clothing, aerospace, and much more.  Food demonstrations,  Horse and pony show, dog obedience and agility show.
Tonite, learn how to Milk a Cow for $1 from 6-8:30 p.m.  Donations go the Save the Fair Fun.
Also there will be inflatables at East side of Cook Shack from 5-9 p.m.
6:30 p.m. Cutest Little Farmer, ages 1-3
7 p.m.  Money in the Straw, ages 1-3
7:15 p.m. Pedal Pull, ages 4-7http://www.lakeshelbyville.com/calendar.htm

Labor Day 2016 - benefit annual sale for Decatur Public Library (DPL) Friends - Civic Center (Sunday & Monday hours)

from FRIENDS DPL dot-org website article:

Civic Center Labor Day Book Sale

This sale is the biggest of the year and will take place
Sunday and Monday September 4, & September 5, 2016

Sale Hours:

• Sunday from 11 am-5 pm for the public,
  with a special opening from 9 am-11 am for members of the Friends.
  
• Monday from 9 am-3 pm to the public.
  On Monday, all books will be half off.
  There will also be a bag sale:
  $5 for a paper bag and all the books you can fit (excluding rare books).

http://www.friendsdpl.org/folsales.html

July 13 Appointment of new Librarian of Congress (loc dot-gov) - confirmation of Senate required

July 13, 2016

Senate Confirms Carla Hayden as 14th Librarian of Congress

The United States Senate today (WED. July 13, 2016) by a vote of 74-18 confirmed Dr. Carla D. Hayden, longtime chief executive of the Enoch Pratt Free Library system in Baltimore and a former president of the American Library Association, as the 14th Librarian of Congress, for a renewable 10-year term.
Dr. Hayden was nominated by President Barack Obama in February 2016.
"This is truly a great honor to be nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to lead the nation’s library, the Library of Congress," Dr. Hayden said. "It has been my privilege to serve the citizens of Baltimore for 23 years and help restore the Enoch Pratt Free Library as a world-renowned institution. I look forward to working with the dedicated staff of the Library of Congress. I will be honored to build on the legacy and accomplishments of my predecessors in this position, to be part of a continuing movement to open the treasure chest that is the Library of Congress even further and to make it a place that can be found and used by everyone."
Dr. Hayden is the first woman, and the first African American, to serve as chief executive of the Library of Congress, the largest library in the world, with 162 million items in its collections. It also oversees the U.S. Copyright Office and the Congressional Research Service. It serves Congress and makes its research collections accessible on site and online.
She takes the helm from Acting Librarian David S. Mao, who has served since the retirement of Dr. James H. Billington on September 30, 2015. She will be sworn in at a date to be determined and is expected to assume her duties soon.
Dr. Hayden has recently overseen the renovation of the central branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, a four-year, $112 million project, and has also led $40 million in renovations to other units within the 22-branch Pratt system. The system is named for the businessman and philanthropist who financed its founding in 1886.
She took the helm of the Baltimore system in 1993, winning strong praise for her work to ensure that the city’s library system offers a broad array of services to assist citizens from all walks of life, from access to books and other learning materials to computer access and job information. A program of outreach into neighborhoods served by the Pratt libraries included after-school centers for teens, offering homework assistance and college counseling; a program offering healthy-eating information for residents in areas with insufficient access to high-quality food; programming in Spanish; establishment of an electronic library, and digitization of the Library’s special collections.
Dr. Hayden won high praise, during recent civil unrest in some Baltimore neighborhoods, for keeping library branches open citywide to continue service and provide citizens with safe havens.
Dr. Hayden first served as a children’s librarian in the Chicago Public Library system, eventually rising to the post of deputy commissioner and chief librarian in that system. She also taught Library and Information Science at the University of Pittsburgh. She received Library Journal’s 1995 Librarian of the Year Award, and served as president of the American Library Association 2003-2004.
Dr. Hayden received a B.A. from Roosevelt University and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the Graduate Library School of the University of Chicago.
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States – and extensive materials from around the world – both on site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office,
http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2016/16-110.html

United Methodist Bishops in Midwestern States (North Central Jurisdiction) --- assignments made at Peoria, IL meeting

North Central Jurisdiction announces episcopal assignments

July 16, 2016  (posted online at UM Reporter website)

The North Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church announced today the episcopal assignments for the 2016-2020 quadrennium:

• Michigan Episcopal Area — Bishop David Alan Bard
• Illinois Episcopal Area — Bishop Frank Beard
• Chicago Episcopal Area — Bishop Sally Dyck
• Iowa Episcopal Area — Bishop Laurie Haller
• Wisconsin Episcopal Area — Bishop Hee Soon Jung
• Dakotas-Minnesota Episcopal Area — Bishop Bruce Ough
• Ohio West Episcopal Area — Bishop Gregory Palmer
• Ohio East Episcopal Area — Bishop Tracy Smith Malone
• Indiana Episcopal Area — Bishop Julius Trimble

http://unitedmethodistreporter.com/2016/07/16/north-central-jurisdiction-announces-episcopal-assignments/?utm_source=umreporter&utm_medium=twitter

President Obama -- remarks July 21, 2016 -- on occasion of Eid-al-Fitr (holiday following Ramadan)

 I want to welcome to the White House everybody who is here.
For the past seven years, we’ve held our annual Iftar dinner.  Some of you have joined us on those occasions.  This year, for my last year as President, I wanted to do something a little bit different, and I’m very proud to host this Eid celebration at the White House.  (Applause.)  I want give some particular thanks to our White House liaison to the Muslim American community, Zaki Barzinji -- (applause) -- for his great work on our event.  And we’re joined by so many proud and patriotic Muslim Americans from across the country and from all walks of life.
This Ramadan, we said goodbye to somebody who was not only a friend to many here, a great American -- somebody who I had the great honor to know -- the Greatest, the Champ, Muhammad Ali.  (Applause.)  And as proud of his blackness as he was of his faith, the Champ taught us that the most important thing in life is to be ourselves.  And so today, we are especially honored to be joined by his wonderful wife, Lonnie, and six of his children. So let’s give them a big round of applause.
So we’re coming together to celebrate Eid and the blessings of another holy month of Ramadan.  I know we are a little late this year.  (Laughter.)  The advantage is that you’re not as hungry as you were a couple of weeks ago.  (Laughter.)  But our celebration is just as festive, the food is just as good.
For Muslims across the United States and around the world, this is a time of spiritual renewal -- a time to reaffirm your duty to serve one another, especially the least fortunate among us.  And it’s a time to reflect on the values that guide you in your faith -- gratitude, compassion and generosity.  And it’s a reminder that those values of Islam -- which comes from the word salaam, meaning peace -- are universal.  They bind us all, regardless of our race or religion or creed, in a common purpose, and that is in our shared commitment to the dignity of every human being.
Today is also another reminder that Muslims have always been a part of America.  In colonial times, many of the slaves brought over from Africa were Muslim.  We insisted on freedom of religion, in Thomas Jefferson’s words, for, “the Jew and Gentile, the Christian and the Mahometan.”  For more than two centuries, Muslim Americans of all backgrounds -- Arab and Asian, African and Latino, black and white -- have helped build America as farmers and merchants, factory workers, architects, teachers and community leaders.
And Muslim Americans have enriched our lives every single day.  You’re the doctors we trust with our health, entrepreneurs who create jobs, artists who inspire us, activists for social justice -- like the LGBT Muslims who are on the frontlines in the fight for equality.  (Applause.)  You’re the athletes that we cheer for -- like American fencing champion Ibtihaj Muhammad -- (applause) -- who is going to be proudly wearing her hijab when she represents America at the Rio Olympics.  No pressure.
Muslim Americans help keep us safe.  You’re our firefighters, our police officers -- like Deputy Police Chief Malik Aziz of the Dallas Police Department, who’s helping that community that is still grieving heal after the tragic attack against law enforcement in that city.  “There can be no actual progress unless we actually work together,” Malik has said.  “The police and the community must work together.  There is no us versus them.”  So we thank Malik for his outstanding service.
And Muslim Americans serve proudly in our armed forces, risking their lives to defend our freedom.  (Applause.)  We’re especially honored to be joined by veterans here today like Sheikh Nazeem Abdul Karriem, who fought in World War II.  (Applause.)  He said he’s 95, but I think he’s lying.  (Laughter.)  He looks younger.  He says he tells people he’s 59. (Laughter.)  But we are so proud of him and what he’s done to fight for our freedom.  And I’d ask all our proud service members and veterans, if you can, to raise your hands so that we can thank you for your service.  (Applause.)
By the way, I should mention that Muslim Americans aren’t just heroes in real life.  One of today’s most popular comic book superheroes is a Pakistani American girl named Kamala Khan, also known as Ms. Marvel.  (Applause.)  And I’m a comic book fan.  (Laughter.)  But it’s important that our children see positive, rich portrayals of all people, including Muslims, from all walks of life -- not just in the national security context.  In the news and TV and movies, the diversity and depth of the Muslim American experience needs to be portrayed.
So let’s be clear:  Muslim Americans are as patriotic, as integrated, as American as any other members of the American family.  (Applause.)  And whether your family has been here for generations or you’re a new arrival, you’re an essential part of the fabric of our country.
Now, of course, we can’t deny that we’re in challenging times right now.  This is a difficult time for Muslim Americans.
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Four more years!
THE PRESIDENT:  Well, that --
AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!
THE PRESIDENT:  No, no, no, no, no.  No, no.  Michelle is going to come down and scold you.  (Laughter.)  Don’t say that.  .  .  .
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/07/21/remarks-president-eid-reception

One of the most banned books -- published on this date in 1951

from WRITER's ALMANAC (American Public Media, Garrison Keillor):
J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye was published on this date in 1951. It is Salinger’s only novel. It’s one of the most banned books in American history. It’s also one of the most frequently taught in high schools, even though Salinger didn’t intend the book for teenage readers. Holden Caulfield, the book’s protagonist, is a prep school boy from New York City, and he addresses the reader directly. The novel begins, “If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.”
Salinger had thought about Holden Caulfield for years. He carried six Caulfield stories with him when he went off to fight in World War II. The stories were with Salinger on the beach at Normandy and in Nazi concentration camps. They were with him in the hours he spent with Ernest Hemingway in Paris. By the time Salinger began to assemble the novel The Catcher in the Rye, he had nine stories about Holden and his family.
When he finished the manuscript, Salinger sent it to publisher Robert Giroux at Harcourt, Brace. Giroux was impressed with the book, and was pleased to be its editor, but he never thought it would be a best-seller. Giroux sent the book to his boss, Eugene Reynal. Reynal didn’t really get it, and sent it to a textbook editor for his opinion, since it was about a prep-school boy. The textbook editor didn’t like it, so Harcourt, Brace would not publish it. Rival house Little, Brown picked it up right away, and Robert Giroux quit his job and went to work for Farrar, Strauss instead. Reviewers called the book “brilliant,” “funny,” and “meaningful.” Salinger couldn’t cope with the amount of publicity and celebrity the book gave him. He moved to a hilltop home in New Hampshire and lived the rest of his life in seclusion. Many directors approached Salinger over the years, hoping to obtain the movie rights, and Salinger turned them all down.
http://www.writersalmanac.org/

Steps to write with "invisible ink" mixture -- help your VBS Teacher 2016

from KIDZ World dot-com:

Mix about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of baking soda and 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water. Next, write using a Q-tip, toothpick or brush on a piece of paper. Let it dry completely. To read the secret message, paint grape juice concentrate across the paper with a paint brush or a sponge. Don't forget - grape juice stains.
Why it works: Grape juice has an acid that reacts with the baking soda. A different color appears wherever the secret message is written.

http://www.kidzworld.com/article/3844-making-invisible-ink-appear

Condemnation of Terrorist Attack on citizens of Nice, France (June 14 is Bastille Day anniversary)

from WHITE HOUSE dot-gov Press Statement:

Statement by the President on the Attack in Nice, France

On behalf of the American people, I condemn in the strongest terms what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France, which killed and wounded dozens of innocent civilians. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and other loved ones of those killed, and we wish a full recovery for the many wounded.  I have directed my team to be in touch with French officials, and we have offered any assistance that they may need to investigate this attack and bring those responsible to justice. We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this attack.
On this Bastille Day, we are reminded of the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world, and we know that the character of the French Republic will endure long after this devastating and tragic loss of life.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/07/14/statement-president-attack-nice-france

Speech scheduled at "Old State Capitol," Springfield, IL

Clinton will deliver a speech at 10:45 a.m. Central Time at the Old State House in Springfield, Illinois, where Abraham Lincoln delivered the “house divided against itself cannot stand” speech. She’s going to try presenting herself as a unifying figure. (List Serv from Washington Post online July 13, 2016)

Where were you during the long-remembered July 1977 Blackout that lasted 25 hours?

from List Serv of NY TIMES ("On this day in history"):
On July 13, 1977, a 25-hour blackout hit the New York City area after lightning struck upstate power lines.

Berrien County Courthouse -- July 11, 2016 shooter's motive to return to family for visitation

http://heraldpalladium coverage = http://www.heraldpalladium.com/news/local/gordon-s-ex-wife-he-just-wanted-to-come-home/article_b48708b5-a3f2-55c2-b05e-85bbc7476fa6.html
Police identified Larry Darnell Gordon as the jail inmate who killed two bailiffs inside the Berrien County Courthouse (St. Joseph, MI) on Monday.

Gordon, 44, of Coloma, MI was being held for domestic violence charges and had a status conference scheduled for Monday afternoon, according to the court’s docket. Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey said the suspect – who also shot and injured a deputy sheriff and civilian – was attempting to escape and was in custody on several charges. Bailey declined to provide further details on those charges during a press conference.

Joseph Fletcher, Gordon’s lawyer, could not be reached for comment.

Bailey said a deputy and a bailiff were moving Gordon from a holding cell to the courtroom when he freed himself from an officer, took his gun and began firing.

Gordon’s ex-wife, Jessica Gordon, told The Herald-Palladium she learned of his death when a chaplain and police officers showed up at her home. Jessica said she had seen news of the shooting on Facebook earlier in the day.

“He had court today, but the charges he was there for were dismissed,” Jessica said in reference to the domestic violence charge. “Those were only one of the charges he was in jail for. He was looking at more time with the other charges.”

Jessica said she spoke with Gordon on Sunday, but had no idea whether he was planning an escape.

“I believe he was terrified that he would never see me and his daughter, or the rest of his family again,” Jessica said. “I don’t believe he set out to hurt anybody. I think he just wanted to come home.”

The two divorced in February after nearly 10 years of marriage. She said they knew each other for another nine years before that. Gordon is originally from Battle Creek, Jessica said.

Gordon had a 6-year-old daughter named Cheyenne, whom he had with Jessica. Gordon had five other children and 11 grandchildren, Jessica said.

Jessica said the shooting has been hard on her and her family.

“A lot of people in the community have looked at me differently,” she said. “My heart goes out to the families of the other victims. I ask that everyone remember that we lost a family member, too.”

Navy Pier -- Shakespeare Theater (honors 400th year of the Bard)

http://navypier dot-org/

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) is a leading international theater company and the recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Barbara Gaines and Executive Director Criss Henderson, CST is dedicated to creating extraordinary production of classics, new works and family programming; to unlocking Shakespeare’s work for educators and students; and to serving as Chicago’s cultural ambassador through its World’s Stage Series. Throughout 2016, CST is spearheading the international arts and culture festival, Shakespeare 400 Chicago, a citywide celebration of the playwright’s 400-year legacy.

Through a year-round season encompassing more than 650 performances, CST attracts 225,000 audience members annually. One in four of its audience members is under eighteen years old, and today its education programs have impacted the learning of over one million students. CST is proud to take an active role in empowering the next generation of literate, engaged cultural champions and creative minds. Visit the Chicago Shakespeare Theater website at www.chicagoshakes.com.

Summer Reading Program (continues) - PLAY "Minute to Win It"

July 11, 2016 -- Dry Point Township Library (Cowden, IL ) at CHHS (Cowden-Herrick High School)

All Kindergarteners through sixth Graders are invited to attend another Reading Program session (2:30 - 3:30 p.m.).  Students can still receive free books through August 8; staff welcomes local families to participate.

Cowden IL Camp Meeting (Free Methodist denomination) -- July 8 - 16, 2016 (nightly 7:30 p.m.)

from COWDEN Free Methodist Newsletter (July 2016 issue)
Evangelist : Rev. Gerry Coates of Decatur, IL
Song / Music program: Freedom Crossing
ANNUAL Camp Business Meeting 1 p.m. Saturday July 9; nightly services Fri-Sat. 7:30 p.m.
Sunday 6 p.m. // Monday - Friday (11th - 15th: 7:30 p.m.) Those lodging in the on-site cabins are
there from Friday July 8 - last morning Saturday July 16.
Local Free Methodist telephone number 217-783-2321

Thanks to readers and visitors of this GOOGLE + Blog (since 2007)

From : Writer - editor Timothy Shaw (trs5678@gmail.com)

I am glad that this blog has interesting and worthwhile postings -- here was the recent count

Pageviews yesterday

117 (July 7, 2016) Pageviews today     127 (July 16, 2016)   Pageviews    128 (July 19, 2016) Pageviews        (July21,2016)  377 Today is Sat. 7/23/2016 = Pageviews         486 (July24) Pageviews today (JULY 27) Pageviews   229 July 28 (Thursday) Pageviews     yesterday July 30 Pageviews   today August 7, 2016 Pageviews   today Monday Aug. 8, 2016 Pageviews   145 Monday 8/15/2016 Pageviews   114 114 144 128 169

On this date 35 years ago -- first woman Supreme Court associate justice

from NY TIMES list serv ("On This Day in History"):
On July 7, 1981, President Ronald Reagan announced
he was nominating Arizona Judge Sandra Day O'Connor
to become the first female justice on the United States Supreme Court.

Hummingbird Festival (Rock Springs, Macon County, IL Conservation District) - near Decatur, IL - July 19 afternoon

from TV Station coverage (www.wandtv.com/ ):
DECATUR - The Macon County Conservation District is inviting central Illinois citizens to learn more about hummingbirds during its Hummingbird Festival on Tuesday, July 19, 2016.
The event will be held at Rock Springs Conservation Area [3939 Nearing Lane] from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.  Attendees will join host Vernon Kleen in learning more about hummingbirds, what attracts them, and how the birds are banded.  Additionally, those in attendance may symbolically adopt a hummingbird for $5, receiving the bird's identification number and information in the process.
This event is free and open to the public.
Rock Springs Nature Center is located on the southwestern edge of Decatur, Illinois.  To get to Rock Springs Center from Decatur go south on Route 48 and turn right onto Rock Springs Road. Watch for signs. Plenty of free parking is available.
http://maconcountyconservation.org/rock-springs-nature-center/

July 2 - end of an era

Prairie Home Companion (American Public Media radio network) will go on -- without Garrison Keillor, host and head writer/performer --

July 2, 2016 is the end of a season of shows leading to his retirement:

This week: we’re at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California for our final broadcast of the season. It’s a duet singing show, with Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan, Heather Masse, and Christine DiGiallonardo all along to join the host on time-honored American ballads, British Invasion romps, country-western weepers, and Broadway classics, guaranteed to send him off to radio retirement in style. Plus: our Royal Academy of Radio Actors, Tim Russell, Sue Scott, and Fred Newman, with L.A. tales and sound effects straight from rush hour on the 101; pianist and music director Richard Dworsky guides the band (Bernie Dresel on drums, bassist Larry Kohut, Richard Kriehn on mandolin and fiddle, and guitarist Chris Siebold) through surf melodies and sun-drenched rock’n’roll instrumentals; and one last update on the News from Lake Wobegon, the little town that time forgot, and the decades cannot improve.

Juno Mission to Jupiter -- July 4, 2016

Updated by NPR dot-org 1:40 a.m. ET with Juno orbit maneuver
After a nearly five-year journey, NASA's solar-powered Juno spacecraft achieved orbit around Jupiter on Monday night. Juno navigated a tricky maneuver — including slowing by around 1,212 mph — to insert itself into orbit in what NASA calls "the king of our solar system."
At 11:18 p.m. ET, Juno transmitted a radio signal to Earth that meant its main engine had switched on. It stayed on for 35 minutes, placing Juno into exactly the orbit that mission managers had planned for.


from Planetary Society website (www.planetary.org/) :
Juno is now just 3 days and less than 4 million kilometers from Jupiter orbit insertion. As of yesterday, it's on autopilot; Earth will just wait and watch it go through orbit insertion, hopefully successfully, on July 4 at 20:53 local California time (July 5 03:53, UTC).
http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2016/07011342-whats-up-july-2016.html

Who is Olivia de Haviland? (Happy 100th Birthday today, July 1, 2016)

FROM Internet Movie Data Base "Biography":
Olivia Mary de Havilland was born July 1, 1916, in Tokyo, Japan, to British parents Lilian Augusta (Ruse), a former actress, and Walter Augustus de Havilland, an English professor and patent attorney. Her sister, Joan, later to become famous as Joan Fontaine, was born the following year. Her surname comes from her paternal grandfather, whose family was from Guernsey in the Channel Islands. Her parents divorced when Olivia was just three years old, and she moved with her mother and sister to Saratoga, California. After graduating from high school, where she fell prey to the acting bug, Olivia enrolled in Mills College in Oakland. It was while she was at Mills that she participated in the school play "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and was spotted by Max Reinhardt. She so impressed Reinhardt that he picked her up for both his stage version and, later, the Warner Bros. film version in 1935. She again was so impressive that Warner executives signed her to a seven-year contract.
Playing the sweet Melanie Hamilton, Olivia received her first nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, only to lose out to one of her co-stars in the film GWTW, Hattie McDaniel. After GWTW, Olivia returned to Warner Bros. and continued to churn out films. In 1941 she played Emmy Brown in Hold Back the Dawn (1941), which resulted in her second Oscar nomination, this time for Best Actress. Again she lost, this time to her sister Joan for her role in Suspicion (1941). After that strong showing, Olivia now demanded better, more substantial roles than the "sweet young thing" slot into which Warner Brothers had been fitting her. . . Returning to screen in 1946, Olivia made up for lost time by appearing in four films, one of which finally won her the Oscar that had so long eluded her. It was To Each His Own (1946), in which she played Josephine Norris to the delight of critics and audiences alike. Olivia was the strongest performer in Hollywood for the balance of the 1940s. In 1948 she turned in another strong showing in The Snake Pit (1948) as Virginia Cunningham, a woman suffering a mental breakdown. The end result was another Oscar nomination for Best Actress, but she lost to Jane Wyman in Johnny Belinda (1948). As in the two previous years, she made only one film in 1949, but she again won a nomination and the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Heiress (1949). When Alicia Rhett, who played India, the daughter of John Wilkes in the classic "Gone with the Wind", died less than one month before her 99th birthday on January 3, 2014, Olivia de Havilland became the very last surviving cast member from that movie. This is quite an accomplishment considering the film had over 50 speaking parts.

As of 2016 she is the earliest surviving recipient of a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination. She was nominated in 1939 for Gone with the Wind (1939).

As of 2016 she is the earliest surviving recipient of a Best Actress Oscar nomination. She was nominated in 1941 for Hold Back the Dawn (1941),.

In celebration of her 100th birthday, she was honored as Turner Classic Movies Star of the Month for July 2016.

Olivia de Havilland is only the third Oscar-winning actor to celebrate a 100th birthday. The others are Luise Rainer, who lived to be 104, and George Burns, who died less than two months after passing the 100-year mark.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000014/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

Family and Home ideas (Discipleship Ministries blog) - United Methodist denominational idea set

from www.umcdiscipleship.org/ (July 1, 2016):

Make and eat red, white and blue food. Make a blueberry or cherry pie. Add whipped topping to the pie. Make a fresh fruit salad using blueberries, cherries, red watermelon, mini-marshmallows, and red apples. Consider the hungry in your community. What could your family do to help those without enough food?

Sing together patriotic songs such as "The Star Spangled Banner, "My Country 'Tis of Thee," "God Bless America," and "America, the Beautiful." See how many in the family know all the words to these songs. Award a prize to the family member who knows the most words to these patriotic songs.

Visit places in your community that signify important people, events, or places in your community's history. These places could include a cemetery, a courthouse, a statue, or a historical site. Discuss together what makes something important for a nation's history. Is it the same as for a church's history? Why or why not?

Display the flag if you have one. If you do not, draw pictures of the flag or other symbols of our country — such as the liberty bell — and place these in the windows of your home.
 

Who is Elliot Chodoff? Who is Amy-Jill Levine? Speakers at Springfield, IL Jewish - Christian dialogue

Sponsor is Jewish Community Relations Council (www.shalomspringfield.org/)

The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) is the public affairs arm of the Jewish community. The JCRC is comprised of representatives of all the Jewish communal organizations and at large members. It fosters positive relations with the wider community as well as keeping up to date and educating the Jewish and non-Jewish public on issues of concern to the Jewish community. JCRC is the local voice on behalf of Israel and speak out against anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination and bigotry.
The JCRC helps organize workshops on teaching the Holocaust in schools and events pertaining to issues in the Middle East.
 UPCOMING EVENTS

• Elliot Chodoff - Political and military analyst specializing in the Middle East conflict and the global war on terrorism, "Middle East Update:  Security Issues, Shifting Alliances, and the America-Israel Strategic Partnership" on Monday, July 25, 5:45 p.m. light refreshments, 6 p.m. program, Federation Office, Red Cross Building, 1st Floor, Room 120, Springfield, IL.  RSVP by July 18, 2016 to (217)-787-7223 ext. 18 or rsvp@shalomspringfield.org .   
• Amy-Jill Levine - "Agreeing to Disagree:  How Jews and Christians Read the Bible Differently" on Thursday, August 25, 2016 beginning 7 p.m., Westminster Presbyterian Church (533 S. Walnut).  RSVP for the lecture by Wednesday, August 17, 2016 to (217)-787-7223 ext. 18 or rsvp@shalomspringfield.org .

Lake Sara (30th anniversary Fireworks) - Effingham County, IL -- moved to "Rain Date"

07/03/2016 - Sunday -

Lake Sara - - at 9:15 p.m. due to rain, July 9 will be the date for Postponement 

Effingham Illinois 62401

The annual Lake Sara fireworks show will be held at dusk six days later (Saturday 7/9).
http://www.visiteffinghamil.com/

The scheduled fireworks display at Lake Sara has been postponed due to the heavy rainfall.
The fireworks display will now be held this Saturday night, the 9th, at 9:15pm, according to the Good Neighbors of Lake Sara.

Today

Happy Canada Day to our neighbors to the North!  -- July 1 (annually)

from GOOGLE posted definition =
On July 1, 1867 Canada became a new federation with its own constitution by signing the Constitution Act - formerly known as the British North America Act. Canada Day is a national statutory holiday celebrated in all provinces and territories and it is a day off for most businesses.

"Making Dreams Possible campaign" to endow Africa University student scholarships (announced goal of $1 million)

from Paul Black, IL Great Rivers Conference Communications Staff, www.igrc.org/

Conference just $41,000 shy of goal 

Offerings and pledges at the 2016 Annual Conference session (June 8 - 11) pushed the IGRC total to $959,000 -- just $41,000 shy of the $1 million goal to fully fund the Making Dreams Possible Campaign for eight endowed scholarships.

A contribution of $100,000 from an anonymous donor was later raised to $130,000