Columnists | The Prairie Press

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

Meth addiction can be broken

For many people in rural America, methamphetamine addiction has become a way of life. It's an epidemic that has torn families apart and left a trail of destruction in its wake. If you're … more

By Jonathan Burns | 5/2/23

Help the world, plant a tree

April 28 was the annual Arbor Day celebration, which is always the last Friday in April and the week after Earth Day. When Europeans arrived in the New World the land was mostly covered in … more

By Terry Sullivan | 5/2/23

May 4: A day to pray

There have been many discussions about the activity of prayer and its purpose lately. Prayer is basically the activity of talking to God, and one of the many subjects we find throughout … more

By Nate Alexander | 5/2/23

A tractor chase mystery

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a revisit to one of the Old Codger’s humorous columns to offset a case of writer’s block.) Grover was a prosperous small town back in the early 60s, … more

By Al Englebright | 5/2/23

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. … more

By Callie Baber | 4/24/23

What if everything worked?

What if everything worked as it should? If everything was perfect, I wouldn’t need a napkin or a handkerchief or an eraser on my pencil. We certainly wouldn’t need a mechanic, a doctor … more

By Roger Stanley | 4/24/23

Trying to put out fires

She seemed frustrated. She was trying to do her best, but the drive-through line was backed up. There were cars in the overflow spots, and it just seemed like things weren’t going good for … more

By Nate Alexander | 4/24/23

Tales of Chuck Littleton

Mayo School had its share of friendly, humorous, story-telling custodians during my tenure there as a teacher. Some of them worked an eight-hour shift elsewhere, then worked late afternoon and … more

By Allen Englebright | 4/24/23

Anxiety and social media

Social media increases anxiety Social media has become an essential part of our daily routine, providing us with instant connections to friends, family and colleagues. However, concerns have grown … more

By Jonathan Burns | 4/24/23

Earth Day is an opportunity to think about environmental impact

Today, April 22, is the 53rd annual Earth Day event. Senator Gaylord Nelson created Earth Day in the spring of 1970 to push a national environmental discussion. Earth Day went global in 1990 when … more

By Terry Sullivan | 4/24/23

Working for mental health

For individuals who struggle with mental health, finding and maintaining employment can be a significant challenge. The Individual Placement and Supports (IPS) program at the Human Resources Center … more

4/21/23

Being stress-aware

We all have stress. Adulting is hard. Stress can be debilitating, or it can be the driving force that pushes us in the right direction. There are many kinds of stresses: stress at work, stress … more

By Jenny McMahan | 4/21/23

Potato planting memories

Many years ago, we always looked forward to Good Friday. That was the only day we got off from school. Back in those years we didn’t get a spring vacation. It truly meant the Resurrection … more

By Roger Stanley | 4/21/23

Out of the Past

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

Callie Baber | 4/21/23