I’ve been watching a pair of yellow-bellied sapsuckers excavate a cavity in a dead white oak behind the shed. Since I’m home all the time, I can wander over and look at them whenever I feel like it, which is more often than you might expect. Sapsuckers, a kind of woodpecker, aren’t supposed to be here. They nest in northern Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Canada. In fact, according to the Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas, there has never been a confirmed nesting of yellow-bellied sapsuckers in my neck of Wisconsin. Yet here they are anyway, doing their thing in my dead oak. I guess they got lost and didn’t have a Bird Atlas. You can’t watch a woodpecker batter the trunk of a dead tree for very long without thinking about... brain trauma. I’m sure you’ve also wondered how woodpeckers sustain such head rattling without concussing themselves. My father-in-law used to say that woodpeckers could wrap their tongues around their brains to soften the blows. What an image! Without ever looking up, I

Around 60% of DeKalb students qualify as low-income, according to the Illinois Report Card . That means they also qualify for reduced or free meals. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, schools scrambled to keep providing food for students who rely on their district for much more than education. Pansy Oderio is DeKalb’s food services director. Her team serves around 700 meals a day. They have 10 locations either at schools or mobile sites in the community. She says it’s mostly a combination of fruit, cereal, sandwiches and milk, but they try to offer more variety when they can. The program is also largely run by dozens of volunteers. “It's community members. It's teachers, our administration, they all can sign up and pick time slots to help distribute the meals,” she said. Soon they’ll also be offering boxes with a week’s worth of meals at DeKalb High School. Oderio says that’ll double the number of meals they give out. They’re also exploring ways to get more pre-cooked options for

Hospitals, nursing homes, and doctors' offices take care of us and our loved ones, but who is taking care of them? Melissa Butts has one answer. She is the co-chair of the grassroots organization Taking Care of Our Caretakers - DeKalb County. TCOCDKC has provided meals, treats, and random acts of kindess throughout the community since March. Butts says many people are involved and though she is humbled by the response, she is not surprised. "Growing up here, I know what the community can do when it pulls together," Butts said, "and I've never been more 'proudly DeKalb' in my life." Butts talked about the impact her organization has made in less than two months. "We have fed 5,300 meals or treats. We have raised $28,350." She added, "We've already spent $26,000 of that, which is awesome -- it just went back into the community." Butts says they have supported 40 restaurants and bakeries and that all of them are in DeKalb County. Butts says after they raise funds from the community, they

The Illinois State Police on Friday made an announcement about the May 6 arrest in Iowa of Clark Terry Baldwin. He was wanted for the 1991 Tennessee murders of Pamela McCall and her unborn son, and the murders of two unidentified women discovered separately in Wyoming in 1992. In the ISP announcement, titled "Illinois State Police Announce An Update to the Tammy Zywicki Case," the ISP indicated that "at this time, Baldwin does not appear to have been involved with the murder of Tammy Zywicki." Zywicki, a 21-year-old college student, was abducted and killed by an unknown assailant after experiencing car trouble on I-80 near LaSalle, IL in August 1992. Reports at the time that she had been picked up by a trucker led nowhere. Baldwin was a long-haul trucker and suspected serial killer operating during the same time frame. He fit the profile of Zywicki's murderer and it was reported that authorities were investigating whether he might be involved. The ISP said it was continuing to

Families across Illinois have had to adapt to e-learning due to the stay-at-home order. But with the school year winding down, they’ll soon have to adapt to another new normal -- the lack of summer activities. A Rockford organization has made the decision to postpone its summer camp programs until 2021. The Rockford Area Arts Council has summer art programs for children of all ages. There’s ArtsPlace, ArtsPlace II and RAAC camp. Mary McNamara Bernsten is the executive director. She said although the programs are postponed, families will still have options. “We are now working collaboratively with New Genres Art Space and the United Way of Rock River Valley to provide Art Space instruction, mentorship and skill-building while practicing safe social distancing,” she said. She said children in the programs will also wear personal protective equipment, or PPE. McNamara Bernsten said New Genres Art Space uses cutting edge technology which allows them to work with two groups of six children

RUGBY players in Scotland who earn over £50,000 are being asked to take salary cuts amid the coronavirus pandemic.

I write this as news breaks that deaths from coronavirus in Scotland are nearing the four-figure mark, so it is with the proviso that everything in sport, and I mean everything, is an inconsequential matter of trivia at this time that I venture to suggest that some sports in Scotland, and especially rugby union, could do with a little image boost.

RICHARD COCKERILL believes that a full programme of Guinness PRO14 play-offs would be a fairer way to end the current season if possible, even though his own Edinburgh team would be one of the beneficiaries if the league went straight to a final.

IT’S becoming a real bore that our main sporting authorities, particularly the Scottish Football Association, the Scottish Professional Football League and the Scottish Rugby Union, continue to get in a fankle over the way to end the 2019-20 season.

SHEILA Begbie, the SRU’s director of rugby development, has urged more clubs to apply to the Club Hardship Fund for help before the end-of-month deadline.

Colin Grassie is to stand down as chairman of the board of Scottish Rugby at August’s AGM.

DAVE Rennie believes that Leinster deserve to be awarded the PRO14 title, and is convinced that such a solution would be better for player welfare and the integrity of the competition than dragging this season on into late summer or autumn.

WITH the usual proviso that nothing, but nothing, in sport is in any way important when human lives are at stake due to coronavirus, nevertheless I do think it is time for some realism to surface in rugby – and other sports I could name.

The great North-South divide in rugby was never more in evidence than when the votes were counted for the chairmanship of World Rugby last week. Sir Bill Beaumont stayed in the job, beating Agustin Pichot by 28 votes to 23, but wow, what an outcome in terms of who actually supported the former England and British Lions captain.

FORMER X Factor star Nicholas McDonald has announced he is covering Mariah Carey's hit hero with other singers to raise money for the NHS Covid-19 appeal.

A Glasgow spoken word artist released an album of whole archive, recorded live in Glasgow's Hug and Pint.

WET WET WET singer Marti Pellow has performed a song in tribute to carers who are raising money for personal protection equipment (PPE) in his hometown of Clydebank.

SMITTEN Paige Turley has been feeding her hunky Love Island boyfriend Finn Tapp with the finest of Scottish cuisine while in lockdown - and it seems he can’t get enough of haggis.

The Gainesville Police Department is currently investigating two separate attacks on women that have occurred in the past week. Due to the close proximity of at least one of these incidents to University of Florida properties, the following information is provided.

On Monday, February 10th, 2020 at
approximately 11:00 P.M., a woman was walking in the 2500 block of SW 35th Pl when she was attacked by a male and dragged into the wood line. The female victim was able to fight off her attacker and call for help. On Wednesday, February 12th, 2020 at approximately 7:00 A.M., another woman [...]

The following information was reported to the Gainesville Police Department (GPD) and is being distributed to the campus community due to the crime’s close proximity to the University of Florida campus:

Gainesville Police Department is working a reported robbery in the vicinity of the Campus Walk Condominiums, 914 SW 8th Avenue. At approximately 3:40 a.m., the victim was approached by the suspect outside of his apartment. After a brief encounter, the victim was physically knocked down by the suspect. The suspect then took the victim’s wallet and cash and fled on foot in an unknown direction travel. [...]

The Gainesville Police Department is currently investigating a sexual battery that possibly occurred near campus. Due to the close proximity of this incident to University of Florida properties, the following information is provided.

On Saturday, March 28, 2020 at approximately 6:15 P.M.., a woman was attempting to get a ride from Boardwalk Apartments at 2701 SW 13th Street, where she was offered a ride from an unknown black male. After getting inside of the vehicle the woman was taken to an unknown location, where she was sexually battered by the suspect. After the sexual battery occurred the suspect then drove [...]

The UFPD is currently investigating a sexual battery that was reported to have occurred Friday, sometime between 8:15 pm and 10:50 pm on the University of Florida campus. According to the victim, a male suspect approached him near the Bat House on Museum Road, introduced himself and tried to hug him. The sexual battery occurred after the subject got aggressive and pulled him into the bushes. The subject was last seen heading west from the area. [...]

Bennett, Hickenlooper request that BLM oil and gas lease sale be deferred Health clinics in Colorado serve a vital role for low income health care Western State University in Gunnison gets largest ever donation

KVNF News spoke with The Colorado Sun reporter John Frank in this edition of The Purple State Update, our weekly interview on the Friday KVNF Regional Newscast focusing on statewide and Western Slope political issues throughout the election season. In this episode we talk about the growing homeless population in tourist towns on the Western Slope, and about the growing number of out-of-state political groups pouring money into the Governor's Race.

Bull Draw Fire flares up in warmer, drier weather; smoke expected Engage Energy Conference brings together stakeholders in energy industry Transition from older, outdated energy sources to new ones a hot topic Governor Hickenlooper forms Federal PAC, signals possible Presidential run

Candidates for 3rd Congressional District disagree about Jordan Cove project Flare up in the Bull Draw Fire causes more closures of the Divide Road Changes to Endangered Species Act could impact oil and gas, recreation in Colorado Glance at high school football schedule this weekend

Colorado has fourth best economy in the country Statewide surplus expected this year and next The Purple State Update with the Colorado Sun Recycling, election security, Governor possibly running for President

Toxic algae confirmed in Blue Mesa Reservoir Boaters encouraged to stay away from Iola Basin, protect pets Paonia Elementary School wins prestigious award

Water Sheriff patrols Four Corners, water theft up during drought season Historic Leadville Opera House eligible for preservation grant Update on investigation of two bodies discovered outside Hotchkiss

Blue Mesa Reservoir at record low volume, toxic algae blooms confirmed Bull Draw Fire 95 percent contained, special techniques aid firefight Statewide expansion of Medicare greatly benefitted rural residents Victims of shooting outside of Hotchkiss identified, investigation ongoing