Touch up

Layne Roate, playing Leaf Coneybear, has his makeup applied backstage before rehearsal for the Jacksonville Theatre Guild's production of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" at the Sophie Leschin Theatre in Jacksonville. April 27, 2011

Taking workplace hostility to new heights

A sport utility vehicle sits on top of a moving crate at the property of Mike Walter along Conover Road in rural Ashland. Walter, of Walters Trucking & Rigging, used a forklift earlier in the day to position two of his employees' vehicles on top of the crate after a dispute. A Morgan County deputy arrived at the scene to investigate.

Delivery

Jacksonville's Andrew Jackson pitches the ball during a game against visiting Rochester at Lenz Field in Jacksonville. April 27, 2011.

Smooth operator

Paul Wellhausen caulks the outside of Butler Supply on West College Avenue in Jacksonville. Wellhausen, of J B Large & Sons Painting Contractors, was prepping the building for a new paint job. April 26, 2011.

Defeated

The Springfield Southeast goalie lowers her head into her gloves after failing to block a shot during the varsity match at Jacksonville High School. April 26, 2011

Bad eggs

Eric Dunham holds his daughter, Kira, 2, while she reacts to seeing the Easter Bunny following an Easter egg hunt at Duncan Park in Jacksonville. April 23, 2011

The calm before the storm

Bridget Lacy, 3, sits by a tree with her brother, Brennan, 10 months, before the start of an Easter egg hunt one morning at Duncan Park in Jacksonville. April 23, 2011

Funding Flora

Children gather around the windows at Educational Day Care Center in Jacksonville to watch potted flowers being loaded onto a moving truck. The children sold 285 flowers as part of the center's annual spring fundraiser, which helps raise money used to buy school supplies for the daycare. April 21, 2011

History in play

Betty Kay portrays Mary Ann Bickerdyke, a hospital administrator for Union soldiers during the Civil War, during a class presentation at Turner Junior High School. Kay, the author of "The Civil War from A to Z," spoke to Beth  Asama's class about three different women and the important roles they played in the Civil War. April 20, 2011

Winded

This is a short series of photos from a girl's track invitational I photographed earlier last week at Jacksonville High School. 

Weathered

An old porch swing hangs under a tree one afternoon near the corner of West College Avenue and Prospect Street in Jacksonville. April 16, 2011

The Hunter

Avery Leonard, 18 months, crawls under a bookshelf to reach an egg during an Easter egg hunt at the Jacksonville Public Library. He is a son of Ryan and Heather Leonard of Jacksonville. Poor weather conditions forced the hunt inside, which made hiding the 1,600 Easter eggs much more difficult, according to library staff. April 16, 2011

Storm Season

Scott Nichols removes pieces of glass from a broken window at Best of Signs on the corner of North Prairie Street and West Lafayette Avenue in Jacksonville. Nichols, the building's landlord, said that heavy gusts of wind earlier Friday caused the window to break outward onto the sidewalk. At 5:25 p.m. April 15, 2011, National Weather Service meteorologists detected a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado. 

Log Revenue

Blake Richardson wipes sweat from his brow while he and his sister, Gracie, pile pieces of wood at their family's business, T&K Tree Services, near Markham Road in Jacksonville. Blake, a sophomore at Triopia High School, chops wood in order to make extra money throughout the year. He recently earned enough money chopping wood to purchase his first vehicle, a 1986 GMC pickup truck. April 14, 2011

Gone Fishin'

I spent part of my Wednesday afternoon at a pond near Mobil Road in Jacksonville.  Both photos ended up being used for separate 'Back Page' features.

Day One

I started my new job earlier this week as a staff photographer with The Journal-Courier, a daily newspaper in Jacksonville, Illinois. My first assignments  included feature hunting and a baseball game in Triopia.