Regional Media Podcast Network

Dr. Chris Sullens joined Wake Up Tri-Counties on Tuesday to reflect on Monday's Kewanee School Board Meeting. Dr. Sullens talked about the incredible achievements of Kewanee's band, IHSA Music Sweepstakes State Champions, and the recent celebration of 100 Years of the Kewanee High School Band. Dr. Sullens also honored members of the FFA and the Kewanee Softball team. And, Dr. Sullens offered words of praise for Kewanee High School Athletic Director, Tim Atwell, recently named 1A/2A Athletic Director of the year. Finally, near the end of our interview, Dr. Sullens looked back on the class of 2024, freshman who arrived just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and now graduates of Kewanee High School. 

Last week, in ceremonies in Princeton and Kewanee, OSF Saint Clare Medical Center and OSF Saint Luke Medical Center, honored the recipients of the Daisy and Sunflower Awards. Daisy Awards are handed out to members of the nursing staff as nominated by the patients that they cared for. Sunflower Awards are given out to members of the Support Staff at OSF Healthcare for their work in helping patients find their way around Saint Clare and Saint Luke Medical centers. Samantha Rux from OSF Healthcare joined Wake Up Tri-Counties to share the stories behind the recipients of the Daisy and Sunflower Awards. 

It was a week of celebration at OSF Healthcare locations in  Princeton and Kewanee. OSF Healthcare celebrated Healthcare Week with a series of events each day last week to honor hardworking mission partners who help make OSF Healthcare what it is today, one of the leading hospital groups in the state of Illinois. Jackie Kernan, President of OSF Saint Clare Medical Center and OSF Saint Luke Medical Center joined Wake Up Tri-Counties on Friday, May 17th, to talk about Hospital Week and the awarding of the Daisy and Sunflower Awards which were handed out during events at Saint Clare in Princeton last Thursday and at Saint Luke in Kewanee on Friday. 

The new season for the Kewanee Farmers Market begins this Saturday in Barrien Park. Diane DeMay, one of the organizers of the Kewanee Farmers Market, joined Wake Up Tri-Counties this week to remind everyone of the incredible baked goods, fresh from the garden items, and crafts that are part of the Kewanee Farmers Market. Diane also tells us that there is still room for more vendors at the Farmers Market. If you make something that you think could be something people want to buy, consider getting vendor space at the Farmers Market. But, remember, items must be hand made, that is made by you. This is not a flea market. The Kewanee Farmers Market is for the DIY'ers out there with a talent for making things. The new season of the Kewanee Farmers Market starts May 18th from 8 AM until 12 Noon and will run every Saturday and Wednesday into October. 

The month of May has a number of designations and one of them is Blood Pressure Awareness Month. Heart Disease is among the leading causes of death and it's also one that can be prevented. If more people paid attention to their blood pressure, many lives could be saved. That's why the Henry and Stark County Health Department is touting Blood Pressure Awareness Month. There are really no symptoms to tell you that you have high blood pressure. Only a blood pressure test can tell you for sure. Thus, getting your blood pressure checked frequently is the best advice for battling high blood pressure. The higher your blood pressure, the harder your heart has to work to pump your blood. RaeAnn Tucker from the Henry and Stark County Health Department spoke about Blood Pressure Awareness Month on Wake Up Tri-Counties this week. 

May is National Radio Month and each year during National Radio Month, our friend Dave Clarke likes to delve into the history of Kewanee radio. This month, Dave takes us back to 1966 and the sign on of WKEI FM which would, in 1974, become WJRE. The first song to play in the history of WJRE, after leaving behind the big bands and crooners in 1974, was none other than California Girls by The Beach Boys touching off years of the Hit Parade on WJRE. It would not become the WJRE we know today until the 1990s when the boom of the country music scene caused another seismic shift in the local radio market. But that's a story for another day. On this edition of Kewanee Back When it's 1966 to 1974, WKEI FM becomes WJRE. 

The Bishop Hill Quilt Show is set to charm visitors once again from May 17th to 19th at the Colony School. This vibrant affair will showcase hundreds of quilts embracing this year's theme, "Rainbows, Rick Rack, and Roses." Attendees can explore a variety of quilting styles, including antique, miniature, patchwork, and appliqué. Admission is priced at $5.00. The Prairie Queen Quilt Club, with assistance from the Bishop Hill Heritage Association, also presents challenge quilts at the Steeple Building Museum. The Colony School opens its doors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and until 3 p.m. on Sunday. Lorna Brown is one of the organizers of the event and she joined Wake Up Tri-Counties on Tuesday with all the information about the Bishop Hill Quilt Show.