Monday, June 27, 2022
WMOK Metropolis – Serving Metropolis and the surrounding area since 1951
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Today’s WMOK Online News Check:
Ask About Our Meat Bundles – (270) 488-316
Tonight – Mostly clear, with a low around 58°.
Tuesday – Mostly sunny, with a high near 84°.
Tuesday Night – Clear, with a low around 57°.
Massac County Schools Look at Consolidation Options
As population in Southern Illinois continues to decline and several of our school facilities approach seventy years of age; the school consolidation conversation regarding Massac County Schools has returned to the forefront. Hear our most recent conversation with Massac Unit 1 School Superintendent, Jason Hayes in which he discusses some of the consolidation options:
This week on WMOK’S Coffee Break:
Tuesday – Chase Hileman – Rural Health Inc.
Wednesday – Metropolis Director of Public Safety Chief Harry Masse
Thursday – Metropolis Fire Chief Micah Tolbert
Coffee Break has been part of the southernmost Illinois morning radio landscape for decades and airs following the 8:00 a.m. WMOK News Check
Today is “Happy Birthday To You” Day! It’s been translated into at least two dozen languages, and Guinness World Records once called it the most recognizable song in English. Chances are you know it by heart and it has been sung to you as well. What is it? It’s “Happy Birthday to You,” of course! Although today is commonly celebrated as the anniversary of the song’s publication, it likely wasn’t published on today’s date. Rather, today is the birthday of the woman who wrote the song’s melody, and that is the real reason why today is “Happy Birthday to You” Day.
A composer and educator, Mildred Hill was born on today’s date in 1859. She wrote the melody to “Good Morning to All,” a greeting song written to be used in a classroom setting. Her sister, a kindergarten teacher named Patty Smith Hill, wrote the lyrics that accompanied it. Together, the sisters wrote many songs, and they tried them out in Patty’s classroom. They published their songs in the 1893 book, Song Stories for the Kindergarten. The lyrics to “Good Morning to All” were as follows:
Good morning to you
Good morning to you
Good morning dear children
Good morning to all
The song gained popularity in schools in the late nineteenth century. By 1911, the lyrics that are used in “Happy Birthday to You” were being sung with the melody. The melody was published with the new lyrics in The Golden Book of Favorite Songs in 1915, and in Harvest Hymns in 1924. It began appearing on the radio and in sound films as well after they debuted in 1927. It also appeared in the musicals The Band Wagon in 1931, and As Thousands Cheer in 1933. Up until this point, no royalties were paid, and the song was used freely by whoever pleased.
A third sister, Jessica Hill, filed a lawsuit in 1934, and since the song had the melody of “Good Morning to All,” she was able to get a copyright for it. Jessica worked with the Clayton F. Summy Company, and they published the song the following year and credited Mildred and Patty Hill as the song’s authors. Later in the 1930s, the company was purchased and renamed Birch Tree Ltd. In 1988, it was bought by Warner Chappell, the publishing division of Warner Music Group. Hill’s copyright was initially to last until 1991 but was then extended and supposed to last until 2030.
Warner Chappell earned about 2 million dollars a year in royalties. They had to be paid royalties in order for the song to be used in films and at parades, concerts, or in any public place. Restaurants often had their own “happy birthday” songs so they didn’t have to pay Warner Chappell. Many people believed that the song should be in the public domain since it wasn’t actually known who wrote the lyrics.
Filmmaker Jennifer Nelson filed a lawsuit against Warner Music in 2013, and a US Federal judge ruled that Warner Music didn’t have a valid copyright. In 2016, Warner Music had to give up their copyright, and the song became public domain. Today the song can once again be sung freely, which makes today’s holiday easy to celebrate!
Upcoming Fundraisers and Events
JUNE
Tonight: Every 4th Monday of the month, At the River Ministries, host a Free Community Dinner that will be held at Dorothy Miller Park for the summer. In the case of rain, the dinner will be held at the Metropolis Community Center located at 900 W. 10th St. Transportation is available. If you are in need of a ride, call (618)638-7561 by 4 PM on the day of the dinner.
Tomorrow: Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month the Lighthouse Assembly of God Church has their food pantry open to the community from 6 until 7:30P. The Lighthouse Assembly of God Church is located at 670 Airport Rd. For more information, call (618) 524-2256.
Tuesday: Sully’s Billiards Bar & Grill will serve free kids meals at their location at 318 Scott Street in Metropolis.. The meals are available free to children age 15 and under and include chicken strips, fries and a drink. To order a meal, call Sully’s at 618-524-2991 between the hours of 9:30am and 11:30am. Meals may be picked up between 11am and 12:30pm.
Fourth of July Celebrations:
On Friday, July 1 – Harrah’s will kick off the holiday weekend with their Hometown Celebration! The celebration will start at 6P. They will have bouncy houses for the kids and adult beverages for adults. Fireworks will start at 9:15P. There is a $5 cover charge per person and will benefit the local School Supply Drive.
On Friday, July 1st, the Golconda Marina will host a fireworks celebration starting at 5P and a fireworks display they will begin at dark. The Independence Day Lighted Boat Parade will start at 9P.
On Saturday, July 2nd – Anna City Park – 5P – live music, food trucks, winery, vendors, and fireworks at 9P.
On Saturday, July 2nd – City of Brookport will celebrate the holiday weekend with a parade beginning at 10A. They are still in need of some vintage cars for the parade. If you are interested, on Saturday, line up at 3rd and Margrave Streets between 9 – 9:30A. After the parade, there will be free chips, hot dogs, and water given out at the Brookport City Park. Fireworks will be at 9P.
On Monday, July 4, the Massac County Historical Society will hold an Ice Cream Social on the lawn of the Elijah P Curtis home located at 405 Market St. The Ice Cream Social will take place from 2 – 4P. Everyone is invited to attend at no charge. There will be seating provided, or people may bring their own chairs and blankets.
More Upcoming Fundraisers and Events
Local Job Listings
Massac County School and Sports News
Upcoming Important Dates for Massac Unit #1 Students:
Monday, June 27 – 6:30pm – Regular School Board Meeting
Monday, July 25 – 6:30pm – Regular School Board Meeting
Tuesday, August 9 – Teacher In-Service
Wednesday, August 10 – Teacher In-Service
Thursday, August 11 – First Day of School for Students
Monday, August 22 – 6:30pm – Regular School Board Meeting
Monday, September 5 – No School (Labor Day)
Monday, September 26 – 6:30pm – Regular School Board Meeting
Massac Unit #1 2022/2023 Registration Dates:
Parents need to bring a state-issued birth certificate, proof of residence, immunization records, and school physical to the screening appointment. To establish a screening appointment, please call Kristin Rousseau at (618) 524-9376 ext. 101.The first day of student attendance for Pre-K students will be Monday, August 15, 2022.
1st-12th Returning Students Registration: All Massac Unit #1 registration tasks can be completed online this year. This includes all forms and student fees. Please follow the online registration instructions posted on the Unit #1 website: (https://unit1.massac.org/registration-information).
Registration opens Monday, May 16, 2022.
K-12 New Student Registration:
New students must first prove residency at the Massac School Board Office located at 401 Metropolis Street in Metropolis prior to registering at their school building. For more information about residency requirements or to establish an appointment to prove residency, please contact Kim Farmer (618) 524-9376 ext. 100.
● New students will also be required to bring a valid, state-issued birth certificate.
● Physicals are required for all new students, and kindergarten, sixth grade, and ninth grade students.
● Blood lead screenings are required of children below the age of six if they have not been previously screened. Parents of new and returning K-8 students that cannot register online should schedule a time to register their students during the following dates:
● In person registration will be available at Brookport, Franklin, Jefferson, Metropolis, Unity Elementary Schools and Massac Junior High School on August 3, 2022 from 10:00 am -1:00 pm and August 4, 2022 from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. The registration fee for K-8 students is $17.00.
● Parents of new and returning 9-12 students are encouraged to register and pay the registration fee online. Parents and/or students that register online should still attend their in-person registration date to receive their class schedule and meet with a school counselor at the following specified times.
● Massac County High School registration will be from 8:30 -11:00 a.m. and from 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. for the following 2022/2023 grade levels on the following days:
● Wednesday, August 3, 2022 – 11th and 12th grade
● Thursday, August 4, 2022 – 10th grade
● Friday, August 5, 2022- 9th grade
● Freshmen Orientation will be Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.
● The registration fee for high school students is $20.
● The annual parking pass for high school students is $15 (must be paid in-person to receive parking decal).
● Thursday, August 11th will be the first day of K-12 student attendance with student dismissal at 2:00 p.m.
● Cafeteria account deposits should be made online at: https://www.myschoolbucks.com or during the first day of school.
● Unit #1 School District is also encouraging parents to sign up for our free Remind Text messaging service for emergency and non-emergency school communication:https://unit1.massac.org/text-alerts
● School bus service will begin Thursday, August 11, 2022. For more information about the bus service, please call Robinson Transport at: 1-855-527-6171
● Parents are encouraged to plan ahead for emergency situations. It is not too early to begin thinking about putting emergency procedures in place for your child should there be an early dismissal of students, without advanced knowledge. These dismissals might occur as a result of bad weather, a loss of electricity or water, a bomb threat, or excessive heat or cold within classrooms.
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