ORION—“Sleepless in Seattle” is the flick for the final music-and-movie night of the summer. Main Street Orion will show the romance starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan at dusk on Wednesday, Aug. 13, on a big screen in the band shell in Central Park, Orion.

ORION—Royalty will grace the pie auction at Orion Fall Festival this year. Orion High School graduates Kendal Cross and Deanna Zwicker will appear on Friday, Aug. 29, at the band shell in Central Park, Orion.

ORION—Without a large commercial and industrial base, the village of Orion depends on the taxes homeowners pay, Trustee Mel Drucker told U.S. Rep. Bill Foster (D-Geneva) on Saturday morning, July 26, in Orion Village Hall.

ORION—American Legion member Sheldon Larson, seated, holds the American flag while Orion Boy Scouts advance with worn American flags to be disposed of respectfully on Tuesday, July 15, behind the ag annex at Orion High School. Conducted by the Henry County American Legion Council, the ceremony is very similar to those used in other veterans’ organizations and the U.S. military services.

ORION—“An oasis of light and sound in a sea of darkness,” emcee Jim Victor labeled Central Park on Monday night, July 21. A thunderstorm with wind speeds over 90 miles an hour roared through Orion about 6 a.m. Monday, leaving the village without power on the day of one of the biggest events in the year. Would Bill Allred’s Classic Jazz Band and the Orion Community Band be able to perform during Jazz in the Park?

ORION—The Orion FFA Chapter won multiple awards at the 80th Illinois State FFA Convention, which was held from Tuesday, June 10, through Thursday, June 12, at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield.

ORION—Bill Allred’s Classic Jazz Band will be featured in Main Street Orion’s sixth annual Jazz in the Park.

ORION—U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, who represents Orion, will make his first trip here on Saturday, July 26, Village President Jim Cooper announced at the village board meeting on Monday, July 7.

ORION—Main Street Orion wants to communicate regularly with village officials, trustees learned from Damon Seys, a member of the Main Street board.

ORION—Whether Orion adopts curbside recycling could be decided at the village board meeting on Monday, Aug. 4.

ORION—The Orion Fireworks Festival on Thursday, July 3, drew hundreds for the aerial display at Orion High School. Earlier in the evening, a crowd attended the pork chop dinner and Orion Community Band concert at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Orion.

ORION—Residents with an opinion on curbside recycling need to express it to village officials before the next village board meeting on Monday, Aug. 4. During the meeting at 7:30 p.m., Village President Jim Cooper plans to have trustees decide whether to proceed with curbside recycling.

RFD-TV will showcase the Orion FFA chapter on “This Week in Agribusiness” from Saturday, July 19, through Monday, July 21. Two of the nation’s most well-known farm broadcasters, Orion Samuelson and Max Armstrong, host the one-hour show on the 24-hour television network serving rural America.

ORION—The Orion Gazette now has photos for sale on its website. On the right side of our homepage, you will see where to click to order reprints. Besides photos, we offer many products on which you can have photos printed. Henry County Fair photos are available here.

It could be very difficult to maintain a balanced budget next year, Superintendent Don Achelpohl told the Orion school board on Wednesday, June 18. May’s 0.6 percent inflation rate is 7.2 percent annually if it lasts, he said.