Columnists | The Prairie Press

On Monday the eclipse activities will last three hours, but other than peak time it will be slow. The first hour and the last hour are worth checking in on but be social, enjoy the day and the company.

It’s go-time, the eclipse is now just 48 hours away. The weather forecasts are stabilizing and for April it is looking okay, a normal upside-down forecast with Texas and Oklahoma predicting … more

Terry Sullivan - Armchair Science | 4/6/24

"We observe color with cones and use rods for night vision. There is a point where you enter the  Mesopic Zone where eclipse color magic happens. It’s when our eyes have to shift from color to night vision."

Solar eclipse eye safety

It is Easter weekend and those who are out trying to spy hidden eggs and baskets of treats will need good eyesight. The animal you don’t want to challenge to an easter egg hunt is the eagle. … more

Terry Sullivan - Armchair Science | 4/3/24

Lunar topography and the eclipse

Monday, March 25 will be the “Worm Full Moon.” It will be the first lunar eclipse of 2024. Starting at midnight, the Earth’s shadow blocking the sun will begin covering the … more

Terry Sullivan - Armchair Science | 3/27/24

How do we know the eclipse path?

A famous paradox is the namesake of Heinrich Olber who asked “why is the night sky dark if there are so many bright stars in it?” If there are infinite stars and the universe … more

Terry Sullivan - Arm Chair Science | 3/6/24

Taming a kitten might give you a devoted friend.

Taming a wild kitten

Back when I was a boy in high school my parents always had a few cats on our farm. The general intention was for them to be barn cats, and they basically were, but that didn’t prevent them … more

By Allen Englebright - Old Codger | 2/7/24

The moon is deeply ingrained in human history and has been a driver leading directly to our modern world. You can follow the connections step by step through human history.

Eclipses aid in understanding the universe

The moon will be eclipsing the sun in 64 days. It was those moon patterns, symmetry and mystery that inspired religion and then the math that made science possible. Friday was the Last Quarter … more

By Terry Sullivan - Armchair Science | 2/7/24

"No matter what happened in 2023, it is time to pull your pants up a little bit and look forward to the new year."

The beginning of a good year

Psychologists use the theory that if you have a positive outlook on life then more good stuff will happen than bad. If you grump and cry about all things that might happen then you will … more

Stanley Roger - Notes from the Prairie | 1/8/24

There are many positives to having a gym membership. The Rec has many opportunities to improve yourself and they have even more great opportunities on the horizon.

What’s Your Reason?

Why should you get a gym membership at The Rec? There is a plethora of physical and mental health benefits like losing weight, becoming stronger, working off stress and letting the endorphins … more

Kelly Nicholson - Weighing in with the Rec | 1/8/24

Illinois retains the signature geography the violent Kimberlite eruptions that almost happened nearly 200 million years ago.

Illinois was once volcanically active

Start this year with a geography quiz. What is the only state capital in the US built directly on top of a volcano? And second, where is the primary source of fluorite mined in the U.S. found? … more

Terry Sullivan - Armchair Science | 1/8/24

A sculpture depicting a Great Depression breadline at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Washington, D.C.

Lasting results of the Great Depression

One of the most impactful periods of U. S. history was the Great Depression. Roughly speaking, it was from the early 1930s until the early 1940s, and it was a time when the U. S. economy tanked big … more

Allen Englebright - Old Codger | 1/8/24

The annual Honeybee Festival, its sponsors and many volunteers are finalizing plans for the two-day event coming up September 27-28.

What’s New for Next Year

Where has time gone for this last year? I have been involved in a new book that will be printed in the next couple of weeks. I have never been involved with publishing, formatting, editing, … more

Roger Staley - Notes from the Prairie | 12/29/23

Jesus coming to earth in bodily form is an invitation for man to look to his example of how to live life.

What are you doing because of the incarnation?

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied … more

Jack Hoffman - Pastor's Perspective | 12/29/23

Zion's Bank formally known as the Bank of Vernal is an old building with a lot of rich history.

Building a Bank

In recent years there has been a trend, if not a stampede, to construct new banks. Travel around and take a look if you haven’t noticed. You needn’t travel far. They add attractive … more

Allen Englebright - Old Codger | 12/29/23

Being forced to answer yes or no sets us up mentally to commit. It reminds us of all the times we intended to but failed to follow through.

Cognitive dissonance as a way to achieve your resolutions

This weekend many will set ambitious goals to create new healthy habits in 2024 with the annual New Year’s Resolutions tradition. Only 9% will succeed for a full year. Research shows 23% will … more

Terry Sullivan - Armchair Science | 12/29/23

Budget Woes and Mistletoe

It is the most wonderful time of the year. I love seeing all the festive decorations, hearing the jingle of silver bells as we walk in and out of the store and enjoying the smell of sugar cookies … more

Jenny McMahan - Bee Well | 12/22/23

Lack of access to reliable transportation can prevent individuals from getting to a community mental health center for assessment and treatment, ultimately hindering their recovery journey.

Lack of Transportation

Transportation can be a significant barrier to accessing addiction treatment, especially for individuals living in rural or low-income areas. Lack of access to reliable transportation can prevent … more

Jonathan Burns - Finding Wellness | 12/22/23

Taking a look back to the 1940s, somethings are different, while some things have stayed the same.

An old-time way of doing things

Let’s go back to the early 1940s when I was starting school, that was before school buses were the norm around here. A lot of our neighboring boys were leaving for the Army or Navy and a … more

Roger Stanley - Notes from the prairie | 12/22/23

Christmas dinner can be chaotic at times, however there is a science behind it.

The science of preparing a holiday meal

This weekend kitchens will be busy with cooks baking and stressing. Food is a centerpiece of holiday gatherings. Those tastes and smells create enduring memories of our time together. When it … more

Terry Sullivan - Arm Chair Science | 12/22/23

If you can find a way to contribute to a Roth IRA, either directly or through a conversion, consider it carefully — you will find a lot of upsides to this investment account.

Know the key benefits of Roth IRA

As you save for retirement, you’ll want to take full advantage of the investment vehicles available to you — and one of the best is a Roth IRA. But what sets it apart from other accounts? … more

Derrick Lorenzen - Financial Focus | 12/21/23

No Virginia, it probably won’t be a white Christmas

The National Weather Service defines a White Christmas as having at least one inch of snow on the ground. We will not see that this year. You will have to travel to a city along the Canadian border … more

Terry Sullivan - Arm Chair Science | 12/21/23