COMMUNITY CALENDAR

St. Patrick’s is hosting its 5th Annual Pot O’ Gold Dinner Auction on Saturday, March 14th from 6:00 p.m. - midnight at the Countryside Banquet Facility.  Discounted early bird tickets are available until February 16th at $50 each.  Tickets are $60 each after the 16th. The last day to purchase tickets is March 9th.  You can purchase tickets through the parish office or online at https://stpatrickparish.schoolauction.net/pog2020/register.

If you would like to make a donation or purchase advertising, please call 309-444-3524.

The 61st Annual Washington Day Meet & Mingle will be held at Five Points Washington on Thursday, February 27th  from 6:00 p.m.  - 8:00 p.m.

The 2020 winners of the Washingtonian Award, Outstanding Business, and Business Beautification will be revealed during the banquet, along with the 5th Annual Volunteer of the Year.  The evening will also include a review of what the Chamber of Commerce has done during the past year and a preview of what to expect in the coming year!  

For tickets, contact the Washington Chamber of Commerce at 309-444-9921 or visit www.washingtoncoc.com.

The Washington Park District is hosting its 10th Annual Mom and Son Night of Fun at the Washington Park District Recreation Facility.   Join the fun on Saturday February 29th from 2:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m or from 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.  

This event is for ages 7+ and includes laster tag, pizza, soda, snacks, and much more!  Cost is $20 each for Washington residents, $25 each for non-residents.  Visit www.washingtonparkdistrict.com for more details.

The Taylor Masonic Lodge #98 at 119 N. Wilmor Road will serve an all-you-can-eat breakfast from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 15th. 

Breakfast includes biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, sausage, hash browns, fruit cocktail, grits, pancakes (regular or blueberry), French toast and beverages. Cost is $7 per adult and $3.50 for kids 6-12 years old.  Kids under six eat free.

Proceeds raised go to numerous local events and charities.

Enjoy a night of singing and dancing with entertainment from Howl2GO to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Hospital.  This fun evening takes place on Friday, February 21st from 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. at Countryside Banquet Facility at 659 School Street in Washington.

The dueling pianists have the vast music collection of a DJ along with the excitement that a live band brings to the stage. Put together great music with fun and energy, and the result is one amazing show. Howl2GO’s show is fueled by audience requests so that everyone will get a chance to dance to the music that moves them.

The event will also include a silent auction, a live auction, and basket raffles throughout the evening.  Click here to purchase tickets https://stjuderuns.simpletix.com/e/49387.

Grab a bite and/or drink and discuss the latest book pick from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 19th. The Get Lit Book Club meets at The Library at McMahon’s at 80 Washington Plaza in Washington.  All attendees are responsible for their own food and drink purchases. This month, they are reading Yes, Please by Amy Poehler.

Visit https://washingtondl.org for more details.

Eagle Ridge Wealth Advisors are offering a free retirement workshop at Five Points Washington on Thursday, February 6th at 6:00 p.m. and on Saturday, February 8th at 11:00 a.m.   This no-obligation workshop will focus on giving you facts on taxes, healthcare, and critical investing elements for solid retirement financial planning.  

 Washington High School’s Robotics Team ”Mechanical Monarchy 5442” is starting off their sixth year in the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). The theme for 2020’s competition was released on January 4th of this year titled: INFINITE RECHARGE.

Teams must collect “Power Cells” in order to power the shields of FIRSTCity during the two minute and 30-second long match with an autonomous period for the first 15 seconds. Once they collect enough Power Cells, teams must rotate a “Control Panel” to activate the different stages of the Shield Generator. Finally, robots must hook onto and hang from the “Shield Generator Switch” in order to earn even more points.

The team has six and a half weeks to design, build, and program a robot. Members of the community are invited to Mechanical Monarchy’s open house on Saturday, March 14th from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at Washington Community High School (please enter through Door 10 - in the back by the Buses).

See the robot in action at the first competition on Friday, March 20th and Saturday, March 21st at Bradley University Coliseum in Peoria. Admission to this event is free. To find out more about the team, or to get in contact with Mechanical Monarchy visit their website at https://sites.google.com/a/wacohi.net/panther-engineering/.

Starting February 1st, sign up for SHOWTIME with MTCO digiMAX for only $10.99 per month for 12 months!  Plus, get $25 cash back from SHOWTIME.  

This winter, SHOWTIME celebrates the return of HOMELAND, one of the most talked about dramas on TV, as well as movies for everyone and championship boxing.  Call MTCO today to sign up at 800-859-6826.

The price that a consumer pays each month for a TV video package is driven largely by the fees that video service providers like MTCO digiMAX are required to pay in order to retransmit the programs from companies that create or package the programming (the broadcast TV stations and cable networks).  Video service providers pay a set fee for every household that receives a given channel, regardless of whether anyone in that household watches the channel.  

Specifically, sports channels and local broadcast TV stations have been demanding significant fees to carry their programming.  Since 2011, local channels have increased by 580% and sports networks have increased by 190%.

MTCO works hard to bring you popular shows at a fair price.  In the past few years, many video service providers have taken a stand against unreasonable fee increases. MTCO, as well as many other video service providers, are pushing back against TV networks that demand more money without delivering more value. 

For more information on broadcast and retransmission fees, please visit www.tvonmyside.com.

Sunday, Feb 2nd 

9:30 p.m. – The Masked Singer (FOX)

Season Premiere

Time-Slot Premiere is Wednesday Feb 5th at 7 p.m.

“The Masked Singer” is a top-secret singing competition in which celebrities face off against one another while shrouded from head to toe in an elaborate costume, concealing their identity. With each performance, the host, panelists, audience, viewers and even the other contestants are left guessing who the singer is behind the mask. The singers may attempt to throw off the crowd, but keen observers might pick up on tiny clues buried throughout the show. Each week, a singer is eliminated -- and then reveals his or her true identity.

Wednesday, Feb 5th 

8:00 p.m. – Lego Masters (FOX)

Hosted by actor and producer Will Arnett and based on the hit British reality-competition series of the same name, LEGO MASTERS brings imagination, design and creativity to life when teams of LEGO enthusiasts go head-to-head, with infinite possibilities and an unlimited supply of LEGO bricks. Teams of two will compete against each other in ambitious brick-building challenges to be crowned the country’s most talented amateur LEGO builders.

Thursday, Feb 6th 

8:30 p.m. – Indebted (NBC)

Young parents Dave and Rebecca are ready to reclaim their lives after years of diapers and sleepless nights. However, things take an unexpected turn when Dave’s parents show up unannounced and broke, leaving Dave with no choice but to open the door to the two people who gave him everything. But these boomerang parents aren’t great with boundaries, and the question of who’s parenting whom quickly becomes blurred. 

Sunday, Feb 16th 

8:00 p.m. – American Idol (ABC)

The groundbreaking series launched the careers of superstars Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Katharine McPhee, Jordin Sparks, Adam Lambert and Chris Daughtry among many others. Idol alumni are responsible for 13 Grammys, over 61 million album sales, 47 Platinum records, 95 Gold records, 444 Billboard No. 1 hits, 257 million digital downloads, two Golden Globes and an Academy Award. Now, the search is on for the next American Idol.