Columnists | The Prairie Press

Well-being requires resilience and mental health

When it comes to our overall well-being, mental health and resilience are essential components. Life can be unpredictable, and we all face challenges and difficulties at various points in our … more

By Jonathan Burns | 7/27/23

Avoiding pond water

When I was a kid growing up my mom sometimes said in reference to someone or something, or at times even herself if not feeling well, “They’re as slow as pond water.” Normally, … more

By Gary Williamson | 7/24/23

Radar was my buddy

Like most youngsters in my high school and college years, I developed friendships with other boys and girls in my age range. A common activity all across the USA in those days was to cruise the … more

By Allen Englebright | 7/24/23

The Great Triangle is at the peak for celestial viewing

Big things happened in 1873. Hume was founded in Edgar County, and the United States Government put the world’s most powerful telescope at the time into operation at the Naval Observatory. Both … more

By Terry Sullivan | 7/24/23

Cleaning up after a windstorm

There have been nippers nipping and chainsaws buzzing around here after the windstorm the other day. I even got the tractor with the scoop on it out of the barn when I finally got enough help, … more

7/22/23

Out of the Past

Here is a compilation of stories appearing in the July 1924 issues of the Paris Beacon-News. The July 1923 volume is misplaced so Out of the Past is 99 years instead of a century ago. TO MEET AT … more

By Callie Baber | 7/22/23

Mindfulness: a tool for managing stress

In today's fast-paced and demanding world, stress has become an almost inevitable part of life. Whether it is related to work, relationships or personal challenges, stress can take a toll on our … more

By Jonathan Burns | 7/21/23

Salsa, Salsa, Salsa

No, I’m not talking about learning to dance. I’m talking tomatoes. Are you up to your elbows in tomatoes? Are they lining up on your kitchen counter like an army of red soldiers? Are … more

By Mary Liz Wright | 7/21/23

Earl Aubray is a lucky guy

Earl Aubray’s friends describe him as a happy-go-lucky old codger. He’s on the upper side of 80 but enjoys good health. For a while we noticed him slowing down and losing … more

By Allen Englebright | 7/20/23

Out of the Past

Here is a compilation of stories appearing in the July 1924 issues of the Paris Beacon-News. The July 1923 volume is misplaced so Out of the Past will be 99 years instead of a century ago. NEW … more

By Callie Baber | 7/19/23

Remembering school buses

About 75 years ago the Unit Four kids got the pleasure of riding the bus to school. That was the plan worked out for the first year of consolidation. Instead of having three trustees per 51 … more

By Roger Stanley | 7/19/23

Lunar cycle sets rhythm of life for many life forms

July 17 is the new moon, or dark of the moon, for July. There will be no moon in the night sky because it will be on the same side as the sun. The two cross together with the moon just slightly below … more

By Terry Sullivan | 7/18/23

Drought damage continues after rains return

We are starting to hear that dreaded word, “drought,” mentioned a little too often. I hope between my writing this column and its printing, the dry conditions will no longer be the … more

By Jan Phipps | 7/10/23

Being thankful

First, I am really glad that I am writing this on the Fourth of July. On the way to town today, we met the Impromptu Fourth of July Parade featuring a lot of old tractors, convertibles, old cars … more

By Roger Stanley | 7/10/23

Out of the Past

Here is a compilation of stories appearing in the July 1924 issues of the Paris Beacon-News. The July 1923 volume is misplaced so Out of the Past will be 99 years instead of a century ago. PARIS … more

By Callie Baber | 7/10/23

When to seek help, and how

Stress is a natural part of life, but when it becomes overwhelming and starts to impact your daily life, it's important to seek help. Mental health issues can also arise and affect anyone at any … more

By Jonathan Burns | 7/10/23

Finding a family at The REC

Hi, I am Kelly Nicholson – the Membership Director at the Rec Center. For those who know me, the Rec probably is not the most natural place they would expect to find me working. In fact, … more

By Kelly Nicholson | 7/10/23

Increasing tick population means larger risk of disease

One of the consequences of living in a warmer climate is the increasing population of hematophagous or blood feeding insects. They are impacted by changing climate just like the Derecho storm fronts … more

By Terry Sullivan | 7/10/23

Is your power on yet?

After the recent severe thunderstorms, a frequent question was, “Is your power on yet?” Answers varied, but the most frequent response was, “No, not yet,” or perhaps, … more

By Gary Williamson | 7/10/23

Deciding when to bail out

(A power outage and a computer glitch prevented the Old Codger from submitting a new column. Here is an encore of one that was printed in 2020.) … more

By Allen Englebright | 7/10/23