THE SOUTHERN ILLINOIS ART & ARTISAN CENTER is a site of the Illinois State Museum. This expansive 15,000 square foot facility houses the Artisans Shop and the Southern Illinois Art Gallery where many arts and craft traditions are showcased. The Southern Illinois Artisans Shop features the fine craft of over 850 juried Illinois artisans. Here visitors can find the best selection of Illinois craft.  The Shop is also a venue for artisan workshops,demonstrations and seasonal festivals. The Illinois Art and Wine Festival and the Festival of Arts and Crafts for Children are two annual events organized by the Shop.  The Illinois Artisans Member Exhibitions Space in the Artisans Shop offers changing exhibits by established members of the Illinois Artisans Program. Receptions for the artists are held in the Member’s Exhibition Space bi-monthly.  For further details, please click on "Visitor Information" in the menu to the left. Admission is FREE.

NORMAL, Ill. – Rend Lake College Trustee Marvin Scott recently received his fifth Trustee Education Award from the Illinois Community College Trustees Association. The award honors outstanding achievement in the area of professional development for community college trustees in Illinois. Marvin Scott.  To be considered for the award, recipients have participated in at least 15 ICCTA seminars during their tenure as board members. Scott, 81, of Belle Rive, was named a fifth-time recipient of the award at the ICCTA’s Annual Awards Luncheon in June. He is the owner of Hamson Feed Store in Belle Rive and has served on the Board of Trustees for RLC District #521 since 1979. The only current Illinois Community College trustee to receive more Trustee Education Awards from the ICCTA is Dave Maguire, a board member at Spoon River College. Maguire was handed his sixth award at this summer’s ceremony. Jake Rendleman, a trustee at John A. Logan College, also received his fifth award at the luncheon

Howdy y’all, I’m the Bone Yard Chef.
I was born and raised in Southern Illinois and, as I grow older, I like to sit back drink a cold one and enjoy some real southern delicacies.  All I really need to make a meal that everyone can enjoy is some spices and something to cook meat in. Put a grill or a deep-fryer in front of me and I can make things your mouth will be begging for.
The meat I want to talk about today is fish. My family will actually stop fighting to eat fried fish (which to me means it’s a miracle food). I’ve cooked all kinds of fish like bass, catfish, and crappie. I've even let some boy talk me into frying a carp for him, but I won’t do that again.
So why am I talking about fish? Because sometimes I forget that although my cooking is downright mouthwatering, some restaurants know how to prepare a mean fish as well. The other night I was having a dinner with my family up at La Fiesta Mexican restaurant right off E Main St. in Benton. So, as I sat and read the menu, I realized I have had about everything they offer. That is until I saw this little thing that said two filet of fish. Now I thought to myself why in tarnation is there fish on a Mexican menu, so I asked the waitress what kind of fish it was and how it was prepared. She told me it was seasoned baked tilapia. Now I’ve had tilapia before, but folks, let me tell you, it was almost as good as the fish I cook. It was so well seasoned and delicious that if you put a piece on top of your head your tongue would beat your brains out trying to get to it.
I must say that if you are ever planning on going up there you need to try this dish, it will be well worth it. Just walk in, order you some fish and tell them that the Bone Yard Chef sent you.
Until next time y’all, keep cookin'. 
You can email me at boneyardchef@gmail.com.  Tell me what you'd like to hear about next.

MISSION STATEMENT The purpose of Mentors 4 Kids, Inc., shall be to provide disadvantaged children with caring, volunteer adult role models to befriend them and spend quality time with them.

VISION STATEMENT Mentors 4 Kids, Inc., envisions a community in which every child experiences nurturing one-to-one relationships and community support, which will allow each of them to develop into their full potential; capable of making informed, responsible decisions as involved members of our community.

VALUES STATEMENT The values to be upheld by the Governing Board of Directors and Staff of Mentors 4 Kids, Inc., include honesty and integrity in all that we do, compassion and understanding for those we serve, and frugality and trustworthiness in respect of the donors who support us.