How About Some Positive News?

It was a long, hot, dark week for many people in the Will County area after a derecho rippedf up trees and caused power outages for hundreds of thousands of people.

But now that life is getting back to normal, it's not only good to give thanks for all those who worked hard to restore that normalcy, it's also good to remember the great things that are happening in the local community.

For readers of this blog who don't live around here: look for the good in your community today. It's there.

For any readers of this blog: thank you for checking in all week while electricity and internet was iffy. I returned to this blog today to an extraordinary amount of views. I'm truly humbled.

Here's a quick excerpt from last Monday's blog. Could truer words been spoken?

Life isn't always served in neat packages to our liking.

But it's still a new day in a new week full of new opportunities.

For me, new opportunities for writing.

For being kind.

For addressing the health challenges of another.

For who knows what?

Because the day is still uncharted.

And none of that takes away from the above accomplishments. It feels good to start a project, it feels great to finish it.

Welcome, Monday!


Donate school supplies for students this Tuesday in Plainfield 

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/08/12/donate-school-supplies-for-students-this-tuesday-in-plainfield/aqfwnns/


Plainfield Park District photo contest celebrates dog days of summer

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/07/28/plainfield-park-district-photo-contest-celebrates-dog-days-of-summer/afgtuvz/


Workforce Center of Will County held drive-thru job fair

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/07/31/workforce-center-of-will-county-holds-drive-thru-job-fair/aqiml2u/


Follow these tips to safely wear a face mask 

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/08/03/follow-these-tips-to-safely-wear-a-facemask/aptrrk/


Will County forest preserve issues canine casting call for 2021 dog park calendar 

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/08/03/will-county-forest-preserve-issues-canine-casting-call-for-2021-dog-park-calendar/auzd7va/


Abri Credit Union and Enterprise Car Sales donate to Joliet service agencies 

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/07/30/abri-credit-union-and-enterprise-car-sales-donate-to-joliet-service-agencies/dsp87d6/


Joliet-area youth orchestra holding virtual audtions for 2020-2021, announces new music director 

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/08/04/joliet-area-youth-orchestra-holding-virtual-audtions-for-2020-2021-announces-new-music-director/aq6cowp/


Frankfort appoints new utilities director

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/08/05/frankfort-appoints-new-utilities-director/aqcfevo/


Joliet West HOSA students Lucy Magat and Paola Castro Zuniga take top 10 at ILC

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/07/28/joliet-west-hosa-students-lucy-magat-and-paola-castro-zuniga-take-top-10-at-ilc/ad6nbpn/


D. 202 to extend free 'grab and go' meals through Aug. 26 at Plainfield locations 

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/08/03/d-202-to-extend-free-grab-and-go-meals-through-aug-26-at-plainfield-locations/aphdkpl/


Plainfield Park District program bridges gap until start of school 

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/08/10/plainfield-park-district-program-bridges-gap-until-start-of-school/agews15/

Illustration by Kathleen Rose Van Pelt for "Bryony."

Community News: Feb. 27, 2020

Check out the awesome things people are doing.

If you live within the Herald-News' coverage area (most of Will and Grundy counties in Illinois), and you'd like to share your organization's news or upcoming events, email the information to new@theherald-news.com.


MYSO celebrates 60th anniversary with reunion concert and alumna soloist

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/02/19/myso-celebrates-60th-anniversary-with-reunion-concert-and-alumna-soloist/a2f2em9/


Forest Park students socks to Lockport charity 

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/02/24/forest-park-students-socks-to-lockport-charity/az4we1k/


R.A.C.E. has donated more than $2.2 million to Chicagoland charities

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/02/24/r-a-c-e-has-donated-more-than-2-2-million-to-chicagoland-charities/amx27qq/


Plainfield-based artist selected as finalist for Pabst Blue Ribbon Art Can Contest  

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/02/24/plainfield-based-artist-selected-as-finalist-for-pabst-blue-ribbon-art-can-contest/a9eytdk/


NEWSLETTERS


Sign up for the Will County Go Guide

http://www.theherald-news.com/newsletter/will-county-go-guide/#//


Sign up for the LocalLit Short Story Newsletter

http://www.theherald-news.com/newsletter/locallit/


Sign up for The Munsonville Times

https://www.bryonyseries.com/munsonville-times

Illustration by Christopher Gleason for "Staked!" Follow him at artworkbytopher.com.

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, July 21 through July 26

Good morning!

Below are the feature stories that ran in this week's Herald-News. If you missed any of them, check them out now. Or re-read any you enjoyed.

Fiction update: Sue Midlock said she is done with the interior illustrations for Cornell Dyer and the Never Robbers and she is working on the cover. Once we have the art, I can upload the story.

Timothy and I have a tentative "Cornell" breakfast tomorrow morning to review his outline for Cornell Dyer and the Flu. His goal is to have five Cornell books available by September's VampCon.

Then in the afternoon, Rebekah and I are getting together with Sue to work on the scrolls. This will probably be the most fiction I'll get done this weekend.

Because my other goal is to finish my draft of Phyllis' memoir and get that to her.

No new Bertrand The Mouse books are in the works (yet), but Rebekah and Daniel did find, just yesterday, the raggedy copies of the little phonics books I used to teach my six children how to read.

A couple parents had approached me about writing some Bertrand books for kids just learning to read. I have a list of sight words that's at least a year now and no inspiration. The phonics books may help me out in that regard.

Have a great Friday, readers, writers, and BryonySeries fans! :)

Non-bylined features:

Monday through Saturday I assembled my non-bylined works - brief posts and calendar listings - into one convenient file and posting them on Facebook in the evening, so readers can easily choose the ones they want to read.

One can also find those event listings, the Gotta Do It calendar, as well as the pets, health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars, under the sections tab on the left hand side of http://www.theherald-news.com/. Click on "features" and the topics drop down.  Gotta Do It runs under "people."

Community news? Again, under the sections tab, under features, and by topic. Updates are posted on these days in print and web (and some only on web on other days as I have the time): 

 Social media:

Daily updates: I do post the briefs and calendars on Twitter during the week, so you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61.

BryonySeries stuff: I post curated content relating to the BryonySeries at @BryonySeries. And assorted related content at www.facebook.com/BryonySeries. And of course, please follow the adventures of Bertrand the Mouse on Instagram at bertrand_bryonyseries.

If you're a writer anywhere in the world, you're welcome to jon WriteOn Joliet's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/writeonminooka/?ref=bookmarks. We're based in Joliet, Illinois, but we love to meet and interact with writers outside our area, too.

Upcoming events:

Once Timothy Baran is done updating this page, these will listed here: https://www.bryonyseries.com/fetes-and-feasts.

Check out the progress he has made so far. Each square is hand-built. And be sure to "hover" your hand over the first square. Note: this only works (so far) with the desktop version.

But he's also made A LOT of changes to the website. So be sure to roam around a bit.

Books and Such

Information on my books (including where to buy) along with upcoming events is at www.bryonyseries.com. Again, Timothy is in the process of updating the website, so all titles may not appear. If you have any questions, email me at bryonyseries@gmail.com.

Thank you for reading The Herald-News. And for reading this blog. And if you've read (or plan to read) any of my books. Your support is greatly appreciated.

'I wanted to be where the action was'
Iconic Woodstock photographer to appear at commemorative event at Joliet theater

"When we heard about Woodstock, we were halfway through our trip," Baron Wolman said. "I said, 'OK, we've got to go. It looks like all the bands playing are high-level bands. We cannot not go.'"

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2019/07/18/c9ff8dc2f1a14000a9bac619a877f7f3/index.xml


An Extraordinary Life The measure of a truly good man
Wilmington man understood the value of the past and service to others

“He was an amazing man," Diane Cantu of Wilmington said about her husband Gerald Cantu. "He kind of walked to his own drum. But it was an honest drum.”

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2019/07


Safe on foot – when commuting means walking
Pedestrians and drivers share the responsibility for keeping walkers safe

It's a dangerous time to be a pedestrian.

But it's not just drivers who are hurried and distracted.

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/07/21/safe-on-foot-when-commuting-means-walking/a3dtmyk/


Illinois study analyzes cases of wildlife in food

Many people today like their food fresh, natural and organic.

But they may draw the line at sharing that meal with other "organic creatures."

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/07/16/illinois-study-analyzes-cases-of-wildlife-in-food/ad6hmud/


'A test of confidence'
60-year-old youth symphony orchestra holding auditions in Romeoville

" felt even if I was not learning something technical about my instrument, I was still learning the history about why a piece is written.” (Audra Sybert, former MYSO member and now the orchestra's executive director).

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2019/07/14/6520fb785dc2410b8c672738c86bbd74/index.xml?page=1


How does Blackmore's garden grow? 
Award-winning Lockport resident shares insights into successful gardening

One tip from Heather Blackmore: "Don’t go out and buy a bunch of plants. Chances are you’re going to kill a lot and become discouraged.”

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2019/07/24/efd63da7fb2e4801bfaa657947744cc3/index.xml


LocalLit book spotlight: 'Toby and Miko' by Terri Ellinger of Joliet
Upcoming review about a boy who befriends a unicorn

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2019/07/25/13543cbe9b4d4b9c857f7c0adfd482f3/index.xml

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage." Follow him at www.facebook.com/artbymattcoundiff 

Community News: May 8, 2019

Check out upcoming events and the awesome things people are doing.

If you live within the Herald-News' coverage area (most of Will and Grundy counties in Illinois), and you'd like to share your organization's news or upcoming events, email the information to new@theherald-news.com.


Troy 2nd-graders hosted musical

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/04/04/troy-2nd-graders-hosted-musical/ah3bct0/


Joliet Central and Joliet West students win top awards at 2019 SPC Literary Festival

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/04/22/joliet-central-and-joliet-west-students-win-top-awards-at-2019-spc-literary-festival/a8vz62i/


Metropolitan Youth Symphony to perform Mother’s Day concert in Romeoville

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/05/06/metropolitan-youth-symphony-to-perform-mothers-day-concert-in-romeoville/ay1l2s/


Author Jennifer Russ to sign books at The Book Market in Crest Hill

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/05/06/author-jennifer-russ-to-sign-books-at-crest-hills-book-market/ao4gye5/

Local students graduate from colleges and universities

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/05/07/local-students-graduate-from-colleges-and-universities/atmriz1/


Romeoville seniors crochet bags into mats for the homeless

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2019/05/08/718b4abe21f449c5980ff31372284611/index.xml


NEWSLETTERS

Sign up for the Will County Go Guide

http://www.theherald-news.com/newsletter/will-county-go-guide/#//


Sign up for the LocalLit Short Story Newsletter

http://www.theherald-news.com/newsletter/locallit/


Sign up for The Munsonville Times

https://www.bryonyseries.com/munsonville-times

Illustration by Kathleen Rose Van Pelt for "Bryony."