Columnists | The Prairie Press

Tech is bringing us closer to a Brave New World

It is time to give serious thought to privacy and the surveillance made possible by technology since law and civil norms always lag behind technology. With policy issues, the pendulum swings too far … more

By Terry Sullivan | 5/31/23

It's time to tone the body

We often hear promoters of exercise programs promise using their system will result in getting toned up. That raises the question of what does it mean to be toned? Is a toned body difficult to … more

By Julee Dennis and Preston Skinner | 5/22/23

Nobody likes butter fingers

No, I am not talking about the candy bar known as Butterfingers, unless I am trying to unwrap that tasty morsel perhaps with slick or sticky fingers and can’t get it unwrapped. When I … more

By Roger Stanley | 5/22/23

Out of the Past

Here is a compilation of stories appearing in the May 1923 issues of the Paris Beacon-News. Spelling and punctuation have not been changed except where necessary for better understanding. CIRCUS … more

By Callie baber | 5/22/23

New horizons with faith

Once again, it is that time of year. Local high schools and colleges are celebrating the graduates of the Class of 2023. For those receiving their diplomas, it is a wonderful time of … more

By Vallerie King | 5/22/23

Finding a cow on the roof

(EDITOR’S NOTE: The Old Codger was unable to create a new column this week, so here is a previously printed column to keep his readers … more

By Allen Englebright | 5/22/23

Spending on pure R&D gives the greatest return

Congress is debating the debt limit. The bulk of spending goes to the military and entitlement programs. One area likely to be cut is spending on research. Research spending did escalate $50 … more

By Terry Sullivan | 5/22/23

There's a Begonia for all

There is a begonia for everyone. Grow them outside in light shade in the summer and then enjoy them as a houseplant the rest of the year. There are 7 categories of begonias from which to choose and … more

By Jan Phipps | 5/19/23

Planting soybeans

My first experience with soybeans was using it as hay in the wintertime for feeder cattle in the early 1940s. As far as I was concerned, it was the awfullest stuff to handle because it was … more

By Roger Stanley | 5/19/23

Out of the Past

Here is a compilation of stories appearing in the May 1923 issues of the Paris Beacon-News. Spelling and punctuation have not been changed except where necessary to better understanding. BROCTON … more

By Callie Baber | 5/19/23

4 sketchy mothers

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day. Usually, the best we preachers can do to connect Mother’s Day to scripture is to focus on one or two especially well-known biblical mothers, perhaps Jesus’ … more

By John Youngblood | 5/17/23

Starting awake for Alvie

Alvie McNull was a retired farmer from White County. He was active in his younger days, mostly involved in raising Hereford beef cattle. For a few years, he traveled with a rodeo group from … more

By Allen Englebright | 5/17/23

New discovery points to natural hair color for life

Hair, skin and eye color are controlled by genetics. Some of our knowledge dates back to our earliest understanding of genetics, but scientists just unlocked a major secret controlling how it changes … more

By Terry Sullivan | 5/17/23

Old neighbors, old way

Back in the 1940s, it seemed a lot more people lived in the country. At least it seemed that way when I was a little boy. In the Pine Grove neighborhood where I grew up we didn’t go to … more

By Roger Stanley | 5/10/23

Out of the Past

Here is a compilation of stories appearing in the late April and early May 1923 issues of the Paris Beacon-News. Spelling and punctuation have not been changed except where necessary for better … more

By Callie Baber | 5/10/23

Appearing as he appears

“So the LOR D has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show … more

By John Youngblood | 5/9/23

Hume athlete still plays

Everybody in the village of Hume here in Edgar County seems to know everybody else in Hume. After all, the village only has a population of 300. It is in their thrifty village where … more

By Allen Englebright | 5/9/23

Get the lead out and visit Galena

A small town in Illinois made the list of the 20 best places to visit in May. Among the major attractions like Hawaii and San Francisco touted by travel bloggers Megan and Aram is a small river … more

By Terry Sullivan | 5/9/23

Out of the past

Here is a compilation of stories appearing in the April 1923 issues of the Paris Beacon-News. Spelling and punctuation have not been changed except where necessary for better understanding. BLOW … more

By Callie baber | 5/3/23

Counting the days

I have been thinking about the Bicentennial for Edgar County and for Paris and how that fits the passage of time. There are 73,000 days in a two-century span. If we only celebrate the 200-year … more

By Roger Stanley | 5/3/23