Drop in a question of your very own BY CLICKING HERE<\/a> or by emailing 25-year Vermilion County reporter Jennifer Bailey at jbailey@news-gazette.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings and Danville native Jaedon Jerue.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Was there a Danville resident on Jeopardy?<\/strong><\/p>\n Regular Jeopardy! viewers might have been surprised to see Danville native Jaedon Jerue on the Sept. 24 episode of the popular long-running game show. The show can still be viewed through streaming services.<\/p>\n Jerue, 30, was born and raised in Danville. He\u2019s a Bismarck-Henning High School 2013 graduate, now lives in Catlin and teaches seventh-grade math in Westville.<\/p>\n He says, \u201cI have always wanted to be on Jeopardy!. I have taken the test every year since I was a teenager. This was actually my third time auditioning for the show. The first was at age 15 for the Teen Tournament. I later auditioned again at age 22 and finally at age 29, where I was finally selected to participate. I am a huge fan of anything trivia- or knowledge-based. I competed in scholastic bowl in high school, and I currently coach junior high and high school scholastic bowl for Westville.\u201d<\/p>\n Jerue taped the episode on Aug. 8.<\/p>\n \u201cI kept it a secret aside from family and a few close friends. The hardest part was convincing my parents not to tell everyone they knew because I think they were more excited than I was,\u201d he states.<\/p>\n According to Jerue, \u201cThe show itself was a blast. But my biggest challenge (and he thinks his frustration was visible on the show) was the signaling device. I had always heard what a beast that device was to tame, but I never actually knew how hard it was going to be. After rewatch, I now see that I would have been able to answer 39 of the 60 clues on the board had I been able to get in. I only managed to buzz 11 times. That was by far the most challenging part. A lot of success on the show depends on speed and reflex, not just knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n He also expands on the brief mention on the show to host Ken Jennings about how Jeopardy! helped his mom.<\/p>\n Jerue says his mom, Angela, was the only person he knew who was better at trivia games than he was.<\/p>\n When she had a stroke, \u201cit was clear her mind was not working the way it had before. Her recall was stunted. It was like she knew the answer but was unable to form the words or names in her head to come out of her mouth. Binge watching Jeopardy! once she got out of the hospital really did help. Now, you would never know she suffered such a brain injury as she holds her own against me once again.\u201d<\/p>\n When Jerue didn\u2019t know the Final Jeopardy! answer, he wrote on his screen \u201cWhat is Love you, Mom.\u201d<\/p>\n He says, \u201cher reaction to my final Jeopardy! response was more a laugh than anything. She had always joked, \u2018If you ever get on Jeopardy!, you should shout me out since I\u2019m the one who made you love learning so much.\u2019 Well, she was right, and that\u2019s exactly what I did. As for her being on the show, she won\u2019t even take the test because she knows if she gets called, she would be too nervous to even hit the buzzer. She has a terrible fear of public speaking.\u201d<\/p>\n In the end, a returning Jeopardy! champion was too overpowering for Jerue and the other contestant to win.<\/p>\n \u201cI was disappointed to come in third, especially after seeing box scores and buzzer attempts, knowing that had I had a better hold of the signaling device, the game could have been much different. But as everyone keeps reminding me, it is a huge accomplishment alone making it as far as I did. It is an experience I will never give back. But, if producers are reading this, yes, I would absolutely love a chance to compete in the Second Chance tournament,\u201d Jerue says.<\/p>\n His students also have been supportive.<\/p>\n \u201cThe students\u2019 reactions have been a mix of excitement, apathy and endless curiosity. I have been answering question after question about the experience from students. Everything they can think of. My principal did ask all teachers to show the episode during their study halls, so we all watched it. It was funny to see as soon as my face popped up on the screen, the classroom cheered. As soon as my competitors\u2019 faces popped up, they booed relentlessly,\u201d Jerue said, adding sorry, Steven and Natalie.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Crews hoist components of the new smart switch known as a 69kV Viper\u00ae-HV recloser onto a structure that was constructed to support the equipment that was added to the electric grid.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n What are Ameren\u2019s Smart Switches?<\/strong><\/p>\n According to Ameren Illinois, it\u2019s taking another step forward in its modernization of the electric grid in Vermilion County with the installation of cutting-edge 69kV Viper\u00ae-HV reclosers, also known as smart switches.<\/p>\n Fithian is the site of the first-ever installation of this technology on sub-transmission power lines, according to Ameren, which is adding the switches to other sub-transmission power lines in its service territory.<\/p>\n The new smart switches detect problems on the electric system and help determine whether power should be re-routed from another source. The reclosers work in tandem with other outage detection devices to isolate outages and reduce the length of service disruptions while reducing the number of customers who experience an outage, according to the company.<\/p>\n Ameren partnered with G&W Electric, headquartered in Bolingbrook, to develop the recloser. Key features include: encapsulated vacuum interrupters for high-voltage fault isolation; integrated protection and control relays; SCADA compatibility for remote diagnostics and operation; and modular pole-top design for streamlined installation and maintenance.<\/p>\n Ameren currently has 12 units installed across two states. Nine more units will be added in Illinois this year as part of its broader strategy to improve overall reliability.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is an industry-first solution designed to enhance customer reliability and a solution we hope to use to re-route power on additional sub-transmission lines across our broader service territory,\u201d according to Patrick Smith, senior vice president of operations and technical services for Ameren Illinois.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Turtle Run is hosting Danville Birth Project\u2019s Golden Hour Gala fundraiser.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n \n <\/div><\/div>
\n Provided<\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n ![\"Ameren](\"https:\/\/bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com\/news-gazette.com\/content\/tncms\/assets\/v3\/editorial\/c\/cd\/ccdddbf5-2228-4f1f-b73a-4bf6987dc118\/68dc28bdadf22.image.jpg?resize=150%2C113)
\n <\/div><\/div>
\n Provided<\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n ![\"Gala](\"https:\/\/bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com\/news-gazette.com\/content\/tncms\/assets\/v3\/editorial\/5\/cd\/5cd56071-2e98-4015-8c5d-0408e71685c1\/68dc265565089.image.jpg?resize=150%2C113)
\n <\/div><\/div>
\n