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Yoga4Life Studio in Mackinaw

Yoga may be one of the oldest practices in human history to focus on a person’s happiness - a person’s physical and emotional well-being. In the United States it is estimated that 36 million adults practice yoga on a regular basis. They are likely to practice one of a couple kinds of yoga that derive from Vedic yoga and involve 12 basic postures, with names like cow, cobra, or fish. These kinds of yoga will also involve teaching deep breathing patterns  along with a focus on being present and mindful. Luckily for Mackinaw area residents, we have an expert on the subject: Julie Rhoades of Yoga4Life, located at 107 South Main Street in Mackinaw.

KDJ Sales and Services in Mackinaw

For this week’s Business Spotlight, I was able to speak with President of KDJ Sales and Services Inc, Dustin Schmidgall, and get a peek into the history of his company and what the future may look like moving forward. Started by Keith Schmidgall in Armington IL in 1978, the company originally focused on residential plumbing, electrical, and HVAC. After about 7 years, the decision was made to move the company to Mackinaw in 1985 and switch focus to doing electrical work on grain elevators. In 1987, the company moved to the Mackinaw Industrial Park, where they remain today. In 1995, KDJ added to their list of services when they added automation and control systems development.

In Time for Spring, 3:7 Garden Shed in Hopedale

Opening up on April 9, 2022, the 3:7 Garden Shed is a gardening shop owned by Jeff and Chris Litwiller but you may also see their four daughters around the shed helping out. The 3:7 Garden Shed took the place of the Hopedale Garden Shop after the owner decided to sell the business to Jeff and Chris Litwiller. Before this, the business originated as Slager Lawn Service in the 1980s. The shed’s name comes from 1 Corinthians 3:7; “Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow”.

F.L. Sons Fire Equipment

With 10 years of experience in fire equipment and the fire safety industry, Fred Lawrence, along with his wife Emily, started Fred Lawrence and Sons Fire Equipment in Pekin in 2010. Business came quickly and before long, the decision was made to incorporate the business to its current name F.L. Sons Fire Equipment Inc. in 2015. Fred and Emily began hiring employees and realized that their current situation: one work truck, a very small 10’x15’ garage, and a spare room in their home acting as an office - just wasn’t going to meet their needs. So, the Lawrence family started to look elsewhere, knowing that they would need a home for them and their 2 sons, along with a separate building to run their business out of.

Carol Ann’s Worsh House: Not Your Average Laundromat

Carol Ann’s Worsh House is a laundromat located on 109 SW Arch Street in Atlanta, Illinois. This business was opened just a little over one year ago on account of the small town needing a place to wash or “worsh” their clothes after the previous laundromat owner passed away. Jared and Brandy Mattingly saw an opportunity to reopen the facility and stepped up to the task! The name “Carol Ann’s Worsh House” is named in honor of Jared’s mother, the late Carol Ann Mattingly. Both Jared and Brandy’s mothers used to “worsh” everything.

How to Make a Dreamcatcher

In Native American culture, dream catchers were believed to catch and trap bad dreams, whilst allowing good dream to pass through the spider-web design, and drift into the heads of the children that lie sleeping below them. Nowadays, dreamcatchers come in many shapes and sizes, and are an incredibly popular bedroom decor choice! If you’re ready for some sweet dreams, why not learn how to make a dreamcatcher?

Small Raised Paver Patio

Sometimes you are in the middle of a project and realize you need something else! This happened to me when I was creating my back garden scape. I placed my new Adirondack chairs in there place. They were a perfect fit, if the ground didn’t slope down in the back! I knew I needed to make an elevated bed for them. I had recently found a ton of old pavers in the yard and knew this was the spot for them. 

Venom Mob Shines in Dynamic Kung Fu Double Feature

The Daredevils & Ode To Gallantry: Two Venom Mob Films

Eureka Entertainment presents a fascinating double feature showcasing Venom Mob’s range with THE DAREDEVILS and ODE TO GALLANTRY. These two films highlight Venom Mob's martial arts prowess while exposing Chang Cheh’s storytelling strengths and weaknesses. While these films stand as a testament to the group's versatility, they also demonstrate the limitations of focusing on physical spectacle over narrative cohesion.

An Enjoyable Watch, Even If It Won’t Be Remembered

Shaolin Boxers (Fu Jian Shao Lin quan)

Standing in the shadow cast by Bruce Lee, SHAOLIN BOXERS arrived quietly on the martial arts scene, a humble contender amid the genre’s bustling heyday. Directed by Ta Huang, a filmmaker whose resume barely extends beyond this entry, this film won't reshape your idea of kung fu cinema, but it might earn your affection for its oddly endearing sincerity even if it stumbles through familiar ground, just enough flashes of charm and idiosyncratic details intrigue viewers.

Hopkins and Skarsgård Clash in High-Stakes Duel

Locked

LOCKED takes the tension of a thriller and cranks it up inside the unlikeliest of arenas—a luxury SUV (a “2024 Dolus” was specifically designed and built for the film for $1.3 million. Based on the Land Rover Defender, only two were made – one for the interior shots and one for the stunt driving sequences.) What starts as a seemingly routine car theft quickly spirals into a fight for survival as Eddie, played by Bill Skarsgård, finds himself at the mercy of William, a self-proclaimed vigilante brought to life by Anthony Hopkins. Directed by David Yarovesky and produced by Sam Raimi, the film traps audiences in a tightly wound battle of wits and wills, transforming a confined space into a psychological battlefield where the difference between justice and cruelty is razor-thin.

Chaos, Comedy, and Family Without the Filter

Shameless

In a television landscape filled with sanitized portrayals of family life, few shows dared to portray the messy realities of poverty, addiction, mental health, and chaotic love as boldly as SHAMELESS. Adapted from its British counterpart, this American series set in Chicago’s South Side delivers a decade-spanning chronicle of the Gallagher family's relentless fight for survival. Far from being a simple comedic depiction of disorder, the show consistently ventures into raw emotion, balancing satire with deeply moving character drama. With an impressive eleven-season run, it takes audiences through relentless hardships, growth, setbacks, and everything in between, marking itself as one of television's most compelling explorations of humanity.

When Suspicion Turns a City Upside Down

Hood Witch (Roqya)

If you ever wondered how quickly society could slip backward when confronted with its deepest fears, look no further than HOOD WITCH—a contemporary drama set on the rugged outskirts of modern-day Paris. This isn't your typical scary flick stuffed with jump-scares or ghostly apparitions. Instead, director Saïd Belktibia cleverly uses familiar horror conventions to craft a cutting social commentary, making it clear right from the get-go that he's got something meaningful—and undeniably relevant—to say. Though occasionally uneven execution, the film still hits many marks, boosted by a committed cast and a flair that helps lift it above the ordinary.

Caring for Your Garden in the Summer Heat

Temperatures are looking to rise again this week, making now a great time to talk about how to help care for your garden crops in the hot and dry times of summer. Late July through August can tend to be very hot and it is important that you are taking proper care of your crops to get them through when they are ready to be picked from the garden. Some plants can tolerate the heat better than others. When you consider that most plants are made up of 85 to 90 percent of water, it makes more sense why plants need extra attention in the heat. 

The Importance of Crop Scouting a Field

Crop scouting is when fields are evaluated for pest and disease problems, or for checking in on growth progress. Scouting is important because if a problem of any kind is found in the field, it can be solved or managed as quickly as possible. This process is critical for farmers to grow their best crops and have the highest yields possible, which allows them to make the most profit. Crop scouting is a critical tool to protect a farmer’s investment in each field.

Agriculture and the Fourth of July

Like many holidays, the Fourth of July is connected to agriculture! In the spirit of celebrating our Independence Day this weekend, we can look at a quote about agriculture from Thomas Jefferson. The Founding Father and former president stated, “Agriculture.. is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to wealth, good morals, and happiness…”. Jefferson proclaimed the importance of agriculture in our country in a letter he wrote to George Washington. 

Dairy Farms in Central Illinois

All dairy products like milk and cheese start by the production and care of dairy cows on a dairy farm. Dairy farming is when farmers raise mother animals and use their milk to feed humans. Other dairy products than milk and cheese include butter, yogurt, ice cream and more. Byproducts from dairy farms are even used for nonfood purposes. Byproducts allow for an operation to produce more goods and be useful for as much as they possibly can. 

Standards Apply for Organic Farming

When you look through a produce section at the grocery store, you will likely find both organic and nonorganic items for sale. To be labeled organic, foods must meet United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) standards. Companies or farmers can not just label something “organic” without meeting these standards. The USDA sets organic standards for crops and livestock, as well as the handling process. 

Olympia High School Weekly Sports Recap

The sports season for OHS in the 2021-2022 school year concluded on Friday. Friday was the state track & field meet for our boys' team. The boys competed in the prelims on Friday but did not end up making it to the finals on Saturday. The qualifying 3200-meter team consisted of Anthony Ragland, Cooper Phillips, Owen Dare, and Brad Schardan. Owen and Brad wanted to save their energy for the 800 so the alternates, Logan Demling and Caden Clark ran instead. The team ran an 8:42.37 relay. Then, Brad Schardan ran the 800-meters at a personal best time of 2:00.20. Owen Dare was right behind him with a time of 2:00.26. Then, Keagan Uphoff did the 300-meter hurdles and had a time of 44.40. With Keagan being just a sophomore, he has a lot more potential to advance further in the coming years. He is off to a great start and ready for more! 

OHS Boys Track & Field athletes (L-R): Brad Schardan, Owen Dare, Anthony Ragland, and Cooper Phillips.

Olympia High School Weekly Sports Recap

This was regional week for the softball and baseball teams! To begin, the baseball team played Clinton on Monday night, coming away with a 3-2 win. This advanced them to play Pontiac on Thursday. The Spartans were not as good as Pontiac’s baseball team and lost 1-14. Pontiac is now going to the regional championship game on Monday vs Tremont. Olympia High School hosted all these regional baseball games. The high school baseball season has now ended and the boys are ready to play travel ball. The baseball program is grateful for finally having a full season that was very fun and memorable, too!

Olympia High School Weekly Sports Recap

Post-season for Olympia High School athletics is coming into full gear. Just this week Girls Track and Field competed in their IHSA Sectional Meet. Anna Beiber qualified for State at the meet with a time of 2:21.68, just 2 seconds under the state qualifying time. Melissa Bieber just barely missed the qualifying time by .29 seconds with a 47.98 in the 300 hurdles, which is less than a second off the school record. Boys Track and Field will compete in their Sectional this coming week on the 18th.