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The Bailey Buzz this week has news on a local filmmaker and her short film premiere, Carle’s Mobile Market, a local Danville man who has given away turkeys and hams for the holidays, and the next Danville Area Community College scholarship application period.

Is there a movie premiere coming up for ‘Children of the Cornfield’ that was shot locally?

Oakwood native filmmaker Crystal Hughes is returning for the premiere of her short film “Children of the Cornfield,” as she also raises money for the rest of the feature that will be shot here in the spring.

The short film, which has won several awards at the LA Live Film Fest, will be shown at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 29, at Fischer Theatre in downtown Danville. It’s a suggested donation at the door to support the theater.

There also will be a raffle and silent auction to help fund the full feature film.

Hughes was here in the fall getting those needed cornfield and other scenes.

She’s excited to show the short.

The horror/comedy is about main character Zella — played by Crystal and named after her mother, Zella Fay Hughes — and her friend who are in a journalism society. Something happens, and the corn goes away overnight, Hughes said.

“Everybody will learn in the feature what has happened,” she said.

She had a lot of family and friends help out.

Cast:

  • Crystal Hughes as Zella
  • Molly Wagoner as Young Zella
  • Kyle Collom as John Deere Sr.
  • Zella Fay Hughes as Mom
  • Claude LeRoy Hughes as Dad
  • Kay Barnette as Aunt Kay
  • Dave Barnette as Uncle Dave
  • Ashley Buck as Therese
  • Seven Anderson as Donna
  • Makayelee Johnson as Sue Ann
  • Yeshua Harris as Billy
  • Katelynn Makemson as Denny
  • Tessa Heath as Joanie Deere
  • Levi Shephard as DJ Deere
  • Missy Crain as Missy’s Salon Owner
  • Layla Whorrall as the Tanner Farm Kid
  • Hannah Wagoner as Cool Teen #1
  • Owen Tiner as Bobby Beret
  • Grace as Cemetery Kid
  • Adriana Rodgers as Cemetary Kid
  • Lola Wagoner as Cemetery Kid
  • Katelynn Makemson as Cemetary Kid
  • Sue Green as Cheryl
  • Salena Jones as Sue Ann
  • Trent Campbell as Theater Director Phil

Do you have a list of where the Carle Mobile Market will be in the upcoming weeks in Vermilion County?

The market makes its rounds through several communities each month. It offers low-cost food and household items for everyone.

  • Jan. 6: Danville YMCA and Danville Public Library
  • Jan. 7: Catlin Banquet Center and Vance Township Library in Fairmount
  • Jan. 8: Thomas Park in Tilton and Westville Public Library
  • Jan. 9: Downtown Oakwood
  • Jan. 13: Carle at The Riverfront in Danville
  • Jan. 14: Ridge Farm Village Hall, Indianola Park and First Church of Christ in Georgetown
  • Jan. 15: Hoopeston Regional Health Center and Casey’s General Store in Rossville

Also, through Dec. 30, there is a hot cocoa and candy cane giveaway at the market.

To keep up with times, dates and locations for the mobile market, visit carle.org/services/mobile-market.

When is the DACC scholarship application period?

Officials just announced that the Danville Area Community College (DACC) Foundation will open its scholarship application for the 2025-26 academic year on Jan. 6. The deadline to apply is May 1.

For the 2025-26 award year, the foundation awarded 931 scholarships valued at more than $1 million. This marked the third year in a row that the foundation surpassed $1 million in scholarship awards.

Students submitted 631 applications, and for the fifth consecutive year, every student who applied and attended DACC received a scholarship.

The foundation also announced that there are 23 new scholarships for the 2026-27 award year.

Students can complete just one form to be considered for all available foundation scholarships.

This opportunity is open to traditional and nontraditional students, including part-time and full-time students who plan to attend DACC. First-time DACC students, recent high school graduates, adults and current DACC students are encouraged to apply.

Scholarships are awarded across all programs, including health care, trades, transfer majors and general support for students.

The application can be completed online at dacc.edu/scholarships.

For assistance or additional information about DACC scholarships, contact Gina Davis, scholarship manager, at 217-443-8893 or via email at foundation@dacc.edu or g.davis@dacc.edu.

Besides scholarship awards, the DACC Foundation supports the college with instructional equipment, materials and program supplies. In fiscal year 2025, the foundation’s total support of the college was more than $1.2 million, including scholarships. These funds reduced barriers for students while encouraging innovations in academic programs.

The DACC Foundation is located in the Bremer Conference and Workforce Development Center on the DACC campus. The foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the success of DACC through fundraising and responsible management of its resources.

Did families also get hams for the holidays through the Community Comeback Committee?

Danville resident Clyde Butler wants to thank contributors and the community for assistance in giving away turkeys at Thanksgiving and also hams this week for Christmas to families at Carver Park.

Butler founded the nonprofit organization in the 1990s. He and the committee have been putting on community events and helping needy families ever since.

He said they appreciate the community supporting their endeavors.

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