One hectic group of dedicated high school fans and one hectic oaf of a 4-foot-tall bird being evasive in Central Illinois.
A set of stories for your Sunday fare:
That rascally emu
Until the insurance provider Liberty Mutual started those commercials that star “Doug” and “LiMu,” couple of individuals understood much about an emu, a gangly, long-necked, rather uncomfortable example of a bird with a creaky gasp of a voice.
In the case of Central Illinois, and towns like Danville, Hoopeston, Fithian and most just recently Gifford, near Rantoul, it’s getting downright amusing.
About 8 months back, a 4-foot-tall emu left from a home in a rural stretch of Danville.
Central Illinois’ variation of LiMu, it was presumed, was gone.
A number of months back, individuals started reporting that they’d seen a brown, gawky-looking animal with long legs wandering stretches of neighboring Champaign County.
The believed owner of the not-able-to-fly bird was informed, and he ventured out to different areas, however might not discover the emu.
He (we’re presuming it’s a he, however it might be a she) has actually been spotted in lawns.
He’s been videoed in recently sprung corn and bean fields.
He’s been found along rural highways.
He appeared at an elementary school in Gifford, simply east of Rantoul.
“It made for an exciting last week of school for the kiddos,” the school’s principal, Maggie Woodham, informed WCIA-TV, which has actually even started doing routine reports on the evasive emu through its meteorologist, Jacob Dickey.
“I’m convinced this is some sort of tour or it’s a door-to-door salesman in disguise,” Dickey muses.
One night just recently, the emu discovered Interstate 57 and Illinois State Police set out to chase after, however the bird — efficient in adding to 35 miles per hour — averted them.
Flick: At just 81, just how much younger can he get?
“I imagine the troopers thought, “Who signed me up for this’?” says Rhonda Gordon, a Pantagraph reader in Penfield. “My husband, Danny, says it gives a whole new meaning to birdwatching.”
Meantime, you do need to question if this would all make a fantastic business for, yes, Liberty Mutual.
“Liberty … Liberty … this emu is enjoying his … liberty.”
A pork task that’s terrific
Of that four-year life splice called high school — classes, a driver’s license, dating, pimples, peer pressure and all the installing social problems, in some way even making it through all of it — fond memories likewise develop.
For one group of Normal Community High trainees, they continue, in a most positive sense.
And they finished method back in the 20th century.
Maybe you’ve become aware of them.
Mostly grads out of the ‘70s and ‘80s, with just an objective to maybe contribute some money in times of tightened up athletic-purse strings, in 2006 they opened a concession stand at football video games, with any earnings returning to NCHS and its athletic enjoyable.
Two years later on, when Adam Denzer, an outbound person, dedicated advocate and previous NCHS running back, passed away in an awful farming mishap and his other half, Marie, contributed a concession trailer, they embraced a name to the memory of Adam’s label back on the football field — the A-Train.
They offered pork slice sandwiches, so scrumptious they started offering in between 250 to 275 pork chops a video game.
In 2021, in an inaugural competitors hosted by the Illinois High School Association and the Illinois Pork Producers Association, the A-Train even won another state champion for NCHS, for “the best pork chop concessions sandwich in all of Illinois.”
Through their concessions, the A-Trainers have actually likewise contributed $60,000 in money and services to NCHS.
It’s approached a brand-new scoreboard for the football field, clock timers for the swim group, mats for the cheerleaders, backboard lights for the basketball group, money for fans’ coach-bus travel to playoff football video games.
Thus, the group was honored the other night by Unit 5, the school district; acclaims were passed and a “Service to NCHS” award bestowed.
And mild-manneredly, the A-Train group accepted the appreciation and revealed its intents:
“We’re looking forward to football season,” says Dave Reynolds, NCHS Class of ‘75.
Chuck Lewis speak about his 1962 Corvette and the Bloomington Gold occasion.
Photos: 2023 Memorial Day parade in downtown Bloomington
Bloomington-Normal Rotary members march in the Memorial Day parade on Monday in Bloomington.
Rick Parker of the Marine Corps League detachment 988 in Bloomington trips down Lee Street to Miller Park in Bloomington on Monday.
A young assistant signs up with Normal Mayor Chris Koos, front, and town council members Chemberly Harris (waving), Karyn Smith and Kevin McCarthy in the Memorial Day parade through downtown Bloomington on Monday.
State Sen. Tom Bennett, R-Gibson City, speak to parade participants on Monday in downtown Bloomington. Bennett represents the 53rd District, Bureau, Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, LaSalle, Livingston, Marshall, McLean, Peoria, Putnam, Tazewell, Will, and Woodford counties.
A 1953 B-57 Canberra is included throughout the Memorial Day parade on Monday.
The 2023 Memorial Day Parade on Monday in Bloomington headed down Lee Street to Miller Park.
The Bloomington High School Marching Band played the Battle Hymn of the Republic throughout the 2023 Memorial Day Parade on Monday in Bloomington.
Members of the regional Scouts BSA and the Cub Scouts march with American flags in the 2023 Memorial Day parade on Monday near Miller Park in Bloomington.
The Bloomington High School Marching Band carried out the Battle Hymn of the Republic in the 2023 Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 29 near Miller Park in Bloomington.
The Bloomington High School Marching Band carried out the Battle Hymn of the Republic in the 2023 Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 29 near Miller Park in Bloomington
State Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, and Matt Strupp of IBEW #197 participate in the Memorial Day parade and event on Monday.
The Prairie Aviation Museum brought a Hughes TH-55A Helicopter to the 2023 Memorial Day parade on Monday in Bloomington. The TH-55A was zipped the U.S. Army from 1964 – 1967.
A truck for Altitude Trampoline Park is followed carefully by one from That Kid Place spraying bubbles and foam at observers throughout the 2023 Memorial Day parade on Monday near Miller Park in Bloomington.
Onlookers are sprayed with foam and bubbles by That Kid Place throughout the 2023 Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 29 near Miller Park in Bloomington.
Onlookers are sprayed with foam and bubbles by That Kid Place throughout the 2023 Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 29 near Miller Park in Bloomington
9-year-old Griffin Underwood of Bloomington plays in bubbles sprayed at him from That Kid Place throughout the 2023 Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 29 at Miller Park in Bloomington.
Lt. Col. Kraig M. Kline, department chair of ROTC at Illinois State University, provides remarks at a Memorial Day event in Miller Park to honor military members who passed away in service to the nation.
Lt. Col. Kraig M. Kline, department chair of ROTC at Illinois State University, addresses participants at a Memorial Day event in Bloomington’s Miller Park on Monday.
Audience members take in the Memorial Day event Monday in Miller Park.
American Legion Honor Guard member David Brown is amongst those who went to the Memorial Day event Monday at Miller Park.
