GPP 5.6.20

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GREENE PRAIRIE PRESS

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INSIDE NEWS T-shirts support Carrollton charities, business. See page A4

LOCALS

Craigmiles children celebrate birthdays. See page A3

SCHOOL Operation 2020 Graduation aims to gift NG graduates. See page A3

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Greene County Fair up in the air By CARMEN ENSINGER Greene Prairie Press

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here is always a bit of prestige about being “one of the first� in the state, but for Greene County that might be a problem. The 167th Annual Greene County Agricultural Fair is scheduled to begin on June 20, making it one of the earliest fairs in the entire state. However, with the current COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty surrounding how long the governor will keep the state shut down, the likelihood of the fair taking place this year is anyone’s guess. “The fair’s board of directors have been in constant contact with each other on how to proceed with

“We are not sure if we will have our fair starting on June 20, but if not there is a chance that we might be able to reschedule it.�

Jerry Joyce Greene County Fair Board President the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,� Fair Board President Jerry Joyce said. “We monitor reports from Gov. (JB) Pritzker, communicate with the Illinois Department of Agriculture and communicate with the Greene County Health Department on what is the best plan.� Joyce said their greatest concern is for the welfare of the community, sponsors, exhibitors, showmen, visitors and volunteers who patronize the

fair. The current stay-at-home order is set to expire on May 30. “We are not sure if we will have our fair starting on June 20, but if not there is a chance that we might be able to reschedule it,� Joyce said. “We may have a weekend festival at some point. We may have our firework show with social distancing as a requirement – we are just not sure how COVID-19 will affect our county fair schedule.� The issue lies in scheduling.

Carnivals typically have to be scheduled more than a year in advance, and many county fairs use the same carnivals, limiting their availability. It is the same way with entertainment. Bands may already have other bookings during the rescheduled time. “We don’t know if the carnivals and entertainment will be able to travel from fair to fair, or if it will be determined to be safe for them to do so,� Joyce said. “We cannot make a responsible decision at this time, but we will continue to update everyone as we can.� Joyce is calling for everyone’s support during this unusual situation. “Rest assured – the Greene County Agricultural Fair is alive and well, and we will overcome this,� he said. “We will see you at some point in 2020, and we want to thank you for your continued support.�

Local graphics company makes signs for graduates By CARMEN ENSINGER Greene Prairie Press It is pretty common knowledge by now that high school seniors will not be participating in a traditional graduation this year, and eighth-grade students will not receive recognition as has been done in the past. The COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. JB Pritzker’s extension of the stay-at-home order and the order prohibiting the gathering of more than 10 people has quashed any sort of hope for “normal� graduation. Caps and gowns, already ordered and hoped to be worn walking down the aisle in front of their families and friends, will no doubt remain in the closet – except maybe to be taken out and worn for a picture. Graduation ceremonies are to be “virtual� this year. Everything will be in a video – all of the speeches of the class president, salutatorian and valedictorian – the announcement of scholarship winners, etc.

For the eighth graders – they will not get that final grade school farewell to make the transition to high school. In fact, at this point, no one is even sure students will be back in the classroom in August. In other words, everything is unusual at this point. Sure, students are going to remember their graduation – who won’t remember the graduation that wasn’t? However, in Carrollton, Greene County Graphics owner Bernie Faul has taken it upon herself to make the event special to those graduating high school seniors and the eighth-graders being promoted to high school. In front of Carrollton High School is a sign representing each graduating senior. The same signs are also displayed in front of Carrollton Grade School and St. John’s School for their eighth-grade class. “I figured it was the least I could do for our kids since they are losing out on so (See, SIGNS, A2)

Carmen Ensinger/Greene Prairie Press

With no formal graduation ceremonies allowed to be conducted, signs have been made for each graduating senior at Carrollton High School, along with signs for the eighth-grade graduates at the grade school and St. John’s. The signs were made by Greene County Graphics owner Bernie Faul.

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Greene Prairie Press

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Greenfield sisters brighten lives of healthcare workers By CARMEN ENSINGER Greene Prairie Press Chocolate has evolved a lot since it first came onto the scene in 850 BCE, from its humble beginning as a delicious drink for indigenous peoples to now a catalyst to not only support a business but also bring joy to weary healthcare workers. Four sisters from Greenfield have formed a team to compete in the Hospital Heroes Choco-La-Thon sponsored by a Springfield business called Simply Fair. “The goal of this contest is to collect donations in order to give a chocolate bar to each and every worker in the hospitals in both Springfield and Jacksonville,� Christine Lansaw, the girls’ mother, said. “The goal is to get enough donations to provide a candy bar to everyone in the hospital from the janitors to the doctors and nurses.�

Naomi, 14; Elaina, 13; Adeline, 10 and Leah Lansaw, 7, formed the team called Divine Divas to compete in the contest. The store that is holding the contest is owned by their aunt, Laura Camp. The store, itself, is quite unique. “My sister’s store contains merchandise from suppliers who pay their workers a fair wage,� Lansaw said. “Everything she sells in this store is from merchants in other countries who pay a fair wage for the work, thereby trying to stomp out the sweat shops who pay their workers pennies on the dollar.� One of those suppliers to the store is Divine Chocolate. “All these people want to do is earn a decent wage to be able to take care of their family,� Lansaw said. “For my girls, this has meant a whole lot more.� (See, HEALTHCARE, A2)

Submitted photo

The Lansaw sisters, from left to right, Adeline, Leah, Naomi and Elaina, hold up a candy bar that they are selling to give to healthcare workers who are battling the COVID-19 virus. For $5, a person can sponsor a donation to a healthcare worker. The goal is to receive 10,000 donations so every person can be recognized with a chocolate bar.

North Greene seniors will walk across stage to get diploma By CARMEN ENSINGER Greene Prairie Press

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he Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education have eased up on restrictions regarding high school graduation that will allow for senior students to walk across the stage, one at a time, to receive their diploma.

North Greene Superintendent Mark Scott made the announcement Monday afternoon. “We are now able to let seniors in one at a time to cross the stage and pick up their diploma,� Scott said. “All seniors are to wear masks in the building, and no one else can enter with them. They will be allowed to take their mask off to receive their diploma and get their picture taken. There will be no contact with anyone.� Students will pull into the drive thru and come in based on the time slot they have chosen. “Students need to be in their cap and gown, and as soon as they enter the door they will turn in their Chromebook,� Scott said. “In the breezeway, they will fill out information for the newspaper and any scholarships they have received from the colleges they will be attending.� After this, students will be escorted to the gym to walk across the stage to pick up their diploma. After they have received their diploma and taken their picture, they will be escorted through the cafeteria where they will be able to take a cupcake and have a picture taken in front of the backdrop, and then pick up any items they have in the cafeteria and receive their yard sign before being escorted to their car. “There will only be one student at a time in these three different areas,� Scott said. Students will not be able to use the restrooms or go anywhere else in the building other than where they are being escorted. Seniors are asked to call the high school office to choose their time on Friday to be recorded walking across the stage. A virtual ceremony will be put together and will air on May 22 at 7 p.m. – the time graduation would have been had COVID-19 not hit. “At this time we are planning on using YouTube, and we’ll put the link on the website and the Facebook page,� Scott said. “We are trying our best here to make this virtual graduation look as similar as we can to what it would be if we were all in the gym together.�


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