Timber Lake Playhouse Sponsors Bus Trip to Broadway Tour of Mamma Mia!

Timber Lake Playhouse (TLP) will continue its tradition of bringing quality theatre to western Illinois when it sponsors a bus trip to see the Mamma Mia! Broadway Tour in Madison, WI on Sunday January 30, 2011. Mamma Mia! is the smash hit musical featuring 22 songs from the band ABBA, the pop music group that topped the charts in the 70’s and 80’s.

Experience a mother, a daughter, 3 possible fathers and a trip down the aisle you will never forget! This musical spectacular was so big it was adapted into a successful movie musical of all time grossing over $600 million worldwide. For more information about the Broadway Tour visit http://www.mammamianorthamerica.com.

The bus will leave from Mount Carroll early Sunday morning and arrive at the beautiful Overture Center for the Arts in Madison for the 1 p.m. matinee performance. Cost is $85 per person and includes the bus trip and tickets to the performance. Funds raised from the bus trip support Timber Lake Playhouse’s upcoming 50th Anniversary season.

Reservations can be made by calling (TLP accepts credit cards) or email for more information.

Carroll County Democrats

The Carroll County Democrats will hold their monthly meeting on Tuesday, January 18th at 7 p.m. at Aunt Mannies Kitchen at 418 Main Street in Savanna. For more information or questions, call Gerald Bork at 1- or come to the meeting.

Girl Scout Cookie Time!

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois is excited to announce this year’s amazing cookie lineup that includes: Lemon Chalet Cremes, a sandwich cookie with a touch of cinnamon-ginger spice, Trefoils, a delicate tasting shortbread, Do-Si-Dos, a crunchy oatmeal cookie with peanut butter, Dulce de Leche, inspired by a Latin America confection bite size cookie with milk caramel chips, Thank U Berry Munch, a tasty cookie topped with peanut butter and chocolate and lets not forget the favorite Thin Mints, a thin wafer covered with chocolate and made with natural peppermint.

Each variety will be on sale for $4.00 a box. Girl Scouts from the area will be knocking on your doors to have you place your orders.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program provides an important ingredient for leadership by helping the girls develop five key skills: Goal Setting, Decision Making, Money Management, People Skills and Business Ethics. Each Girl Scout can gain confidence and poise by learning how to greet customers and offer cookies for sale.

Please support your local Girl Scout Troops as they embark on your neighborhood to gain sales for their individual troops. Each Girl Scout is awarded prizes and the troops earn a portion of each sale. Everyone has the opportunity to give back through the Girl Scout Cookie Program with a Gift of Caring (Cookies for Soldiers or Community Gift of Caring) these cookies give the customers a chance to purchase cookies for soldiers or purchase cookies for a local community organization designated by the Troop.

We ask that should a small daisy, a little brownie, a young junior or a mature Cadet knock on your door January 9 to January 23, 2001, you give them an order to help them achieve their personal goal. Cookies will be delivered between February 18 to March 20,2011.

GriefShare Group Offered to Area

People who have experienced the death of a family member or friend are invited to the GriefShare program held at the Mount Carroll Church of God, Thursday evenings at 6:30, beginning January 20, 2011.

Many grieving people find they are only beginning the work of healing when friends or family have returned to their daily routines. Whether your loss happened recently or many years ago, you will find encouragement, comfort and help in grieving the death of a spouse, child, parent, sibling, other family member or friend. You will learn valuable information about facing life and renewing your hope for the future.

Topics are wide-ranging, including “The Journey of Grief,” “The Effects of Grief,” “When Your Spouse Dies,” “Your Family and Grief,” “Why?” “Stuck in Grief,” and many more. Specifics such as dealing with unhelpful comments, death when someone is at fault, helping children who are grieving, and more are also included. Though presented as a series, people can begin attending at any time during the series, and each session is helpful to everyone. GriefShare is open to people of all denominations and beliefs, and is biblically based.

Each GriefShare meeting includes three main components. The DVD portion presents nationally respected grief experts and real-life stories. Small-group discussion gives participants the opportunity to share their own stories and support one another in a confidential setting. The workbook contains outlines for notes from the DVD, brief “homework” pages to help healing continue on a daily basis, journaling suggestions, and more. There is no charge for the program, but a donation of $15 covers the cost of the workbooks.

Registration is strongly encouraged to ensure space and materials are adequate for everyone, but walk-ins are welcome. For more information or to register please call Paula at or .

Planetary Studies Foundation Winter Lecture Series Begins

Now that the holidays are over, everyone isn’t settling down for a long winter’s nap, instead they are looking for something interesting to do! Consider visiting the village of Elizabeth’s 1876 Banwarth House for activities.

The Planetary Studies Foundation (PSF) is beginning their Winter Lecture Series. PSF’s first two scheduled lectures are entitled Auctions: Going Once, Going Twice, Fair Warning beginning on Saturday, January 22 and Victorian Hard Bonnet Making on Saturday, January 29.

Auctions: Going Once, Going Twice, Fair Warning, features Tina Hollis and Wulf Clifton, owners of Doctor Woodchuck’s Auction Services in Scales Mound. The time for this event is 1 pm until 2:30 pm. Their previous talk on auctions brought in numerous individuals interested in attending an auction but were unsure of how an auction works. Hollis and Clifton will explain the history of auctions, individuals that make up the auctions, how a typical auction works and how monies are distributed when an auction ends. One of the most important points they will focus on is which auctions to attend and how to prepare for attending an auction. The price to attend this lecture is a $3.00 donation for non PSF members and free for PSF members.

Victorian Hard Bonnet Making is a hands-on workshop in which you will have the opportunity to make a true Victorian hard bonnet. Your guides into the millinery world of hat making are Diane Sipiera and Jolene Foat. This two Saturday event will begin on January 29 at 10 am until 2:30 pm and will be finished on February 5 from 10 am until completion. This lecture/workshop fee is $35.00 for non PSF members and $25.00 for PSF members. This fee will cover fabric, feathers, ribbon, form and thread. If you plan on attending this workshop please bring a sack lunch.

All lectures are at the 1876 Banwarth House and Museum, a large green Victorian home behind the Law-Jones Funeral Home on main street Elizabeth. If you are interested in attending, please contact Diane Sipiera at or . For other scheduled lectures please check the PSF website at www.planets.org. Your donations go toward annual PSF scholarships to youths who are pursuing a career in the sciences. The Planetary Studies Foundation is a non-for-profit educational/science organization which is located in Jo Daviess County.

4-H Federation Report

By Emily Legel, Carroll Co. 4-H Federation Reporter

The Carroll County 4-H Federation met at the Chadwick Jr. High gymnasium. President Nikita Nash called the meeting to order. Pledges were led by Emily Legel and Dylan Alexander. Secretary Dan Schoeninger gave the minutes. Treasurer Nikita Nash gave the report. Several committee reports were given. Dan Schoeninger reported that the coffee cake fundraiser would make money no matter how many or how few cakes were sold. He also gave the cost, sizes and location. Becca Alexander reported that she hadn’t heard from the village boards. The October meeting went well and the current meeting was also going well. The January 15th dance committee reported that the meeting was from 7-10 P.M. The committee for the February 19th meeting reported that we will be going to a Mallards’ game. A minimum of ten attendees is needed to get the discount price. Bus transportation will be provided. They also listed prices and additional details.

For Old Business, Mc Calls fall/winter patterns are available at sewcoolinschool.com, school code 202042 with a minimum of 5 patterns. The drive-thru supper and Achievement Night both went well, as did Officers’ Training and the Horse Banquet. The County Board vote outcome was discussed. Please write thank-you notes to your representative on behalf of the Carroll Co. 4-H. (Addresses are available at the Extension Office.)

For New Business, State Award Applications are due to the office by January 3 at 3 P.M. Adult volunteers are needed to judge at state [Jan. 29]. The Public Presentations Contest is February 26; registrations are due by February 14th to the Office. A committee was assigned to coordinate the livestock and dairy judging contest.

Our next activity will be a dance at Naaman Diehl in Mt. Carroll on January 15th from 7-10 P.M. Admission is unsharpened pencils. All 4-Hers and non-4-H guests are welcome to attend. We hope to see you there!

Carroll County 4-H Hosts Dance

By Leanne Rahn, Carroll County Community Worker, 4-H & Youth

The Carroll County 4-H will be hosting a multi-county “Boot Scootin Boogie” dance on Saturday, January 15, from 7:00-10:00 p.m. at Naaman Diehl Auditorium in Mt. Carroll.

All 4-H’ers are invited to attend. Cost to attend are new, unsharpened pencils. These items will be donated as part of a community service project. Refreshments will be served.

Join us for lots of fun! For more information, contact Leanne Rahn at University of Illinois Extension Carroll County Office in Mt. Carroll at or .

CARROLL COUNTY 4-H JR. AMBASSADOR GROUP TO MEET

The Carroll County Junior Ambassador group is recruiting 6-8th grade 4-H’ers and non-4-H’ers for the 2010-2011 4-H year.

At their monthly meetings last year, they planned a community service learning project and social activities.

The first meeting of the new-year for the Jr. Ambassadors will be Thursday, January 27, at 6:30 p.m. in the Extension Office Meeting room in Mt. Carroll. Contact Leanne Rahn at the Carroll County University of Illinois Extension Office for more information on how to join the Jr. Ambassador team. Please call or e-mail Bring a friend.

Illinois Crop Management Conferences Feature Agronomic Research

The latest research information on critical crop production issues will be discussed at four University of Illinois Crop Management Conferences this winter. These two-day conferences will address a wide array of topics pertinent to crop production, pest management, and natural resources issues while providing a forum for discussion and interaction between participants and university researchers.

The format for each conference consists of 13 unique 50-minute sessions. Certified Crop Advisers can earn up to 13 hours of CEU credit. The registration fee is $130 per person due one week prior to each conference. Late registration or registration at the door is $150 per person. This fee includes lunch, refreshments, and handout material for both days. There is no one-day registration.

To obtain a conference brochure, contact your local U of I Extension unit office. Individuals can register online at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/edwardsvillecenter/.

Dates and locations for the four regional conferences include:

- January 26-27: Whittington, Rend Lake Conference Center. Contact: Robert Bellm, Phone: Ext. 13, E-mail:

- February 2-3: Springfield, Northfield Inn Conference Center. Contact: Robert Bellm, Phone: Ext. 13, E-mail:

- February 9-10: Champaign, I-Hotel and Conference Center. Contact: Dennis Bowman, Phone: , E-mail:

- February 16-17: Malta, Kishwaukee College Conference Center. Contact: Dale Baird Unit, Phone: , E-mail:

Antibiotics in Animals and People Webinar Now Online

University of Illinois professor of animal sciences Jim Pettigrew and fellow members of the Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS) caught the attention of many with a webinar titled, “Antibiotics in Animals and People.” Due to a limited delivery system, only 100 people from academia, industry and government were allowed to attend this webinar. Because of the overwhelming interest in this topic, FASS has made the webinar available at their website, www.fass.org.

Pettigrew, a member of the FASS Science Policy Committee, served as the lead coordinator for the recently approved FASS policy statement on antibiotics.

He said, “The body of knowledge now available shows that all uses of antibiotics, whether in people or in animals, can contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. It’s important to limit the use of these very beneficial products as much as feasible.”

However, recent experience shows that restrictions on antibiotic use in animals should be carefully targeted to have maximum impact, he said.

“A broad prohibition on use of antibiotics to prevent disease has, in some cases, increased the amount used for disease treatment and has not minimized total antibiotic use,” Pettigrew said. “This can be detrimental to animal welfare and to efficiency of resource use.”

The webinar leads off with a summarization by Pettigrew of the FASS science policy statement titled “Preserving the Benefits of Antibiotics for People and Animals.” FASS supports the judicious use of antibiotics in food animal care consistent with the health and welfare of the animals, with preserving the value of antibiotics in protecting human and animal health, and with efficient use of the earth’s resources in food production.

Billy Hargis, a poultry scientist from the University of Arkansas, provides an overview of the issues and science surrounding the antibiotics debate. The webinar concludes with Bill Flynn of the Food and Drug Administration discussing the agency’s perspectives on antibiotic use in animals, including its recently released guidance on judicious use.

For more information on “Preserving the Benefits of Antibiotics for People and Animals,” go to www.fass.org/policy.asp#policy.

Herbicide Survey of Grass Hay and Straw Producers

How can herbicides end up in compost? In 2009, passage of SB099 into law, now allows up to 30,000 cubic yards of livestock waste per site to be incorporated into composting systems along with yard waste and food waste. In addition, many local farms and stables compost manure. This is a good way to add value to manure. In 2008, the 39 compost facilities in Illinois altogether processed 497,421 tons of landscape waste, a 24 percent increase from 2007. It is expected that this will continue to rise as more composting facilities are approved. However, the addition of manure to compost can be a concern for landscapers and others who utilize compost for seeding mixtures.

Pyridine herbicides (Forefront, Milestone, Curtail, Stinger, Grazon P+D, Surmount, Redeem R&P, Crossbow) are quite persistent and are not easily broken down. When animals eat hay or pasture grasses treated with pyridine herbicides, it takes about three days to pass through the animal and the herbicides remain active in the manure. Treated bedding straw picked up with manure also remains active. When the manure and straw are used in a compost system, the herbicide remains active in the fresh compost. This can cause problems for landscapers, etc. wanting to use composted manure for seeding mixtures. Plant injury symptoms include malformed growth, twisting, and bending. Dow recommends “Aminopyralid is degraded in soil when it comes into contact with soil microbes, but it degrades very slowly in manure or compost. Do not rotate any field treated with herbicides that contain aminopyralid within one year following treatment, and not until an adequately sensitive field bioassay shows the amount of herbicide present in the soil will not adversely affect the rotational crop.” (www.manurematters.com)

To determine the extent of this possible problem within Illinois, a survey was conducted in the spring of 2010 to estimate the tons of pyridine treated hay and straw used in Illinois. Twenty-eight responses were received. All responses were for hay, none dealt with straw. About 92% indicated that the treated hay was used on farm and not sold. Seven percent indicated the hay was sold to beef producers. Only one percent indicated hay was sold to horse stables. This would indicate that the potential for manure with herbicide residues reaching composting systems is limited.

Composting is a viable option for adding value to manure. If treated hay is being sold off farm, producers are encouraged to discuss the potential for herbicide injury with the consumer. If the manure is being hauled to a commercial composter, the composter should be made aware of the potential for seedling injury. Farmers utilizing manure with herbicide residuals on their own operation should be cautious about the fields where they are spreading it.

Predatory Bugs Can Save Cornfields

One of the worst pests of corn in the world, the corn rootworm, may owe its worldwide success partly to its larvae’s nasty, sticky blood. USDA entomologist Jonathan G. Lundgren and his colleagues discovered this recently, working with CABI researchers in Delémont, Switzerland, and Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary. CABI is an international not-for-profit organization that researches natural ways of controlling pests, and they have been helping to lead the effort against corn rootworm’s European invasion. The discovery could lead to development of ways to overcome these defenses as part of sustainable, ecologically based pest management methods.

Although rootworms have been a major pest for 100 years, this is remarkably the first comprehensive research program on corn rootworm predators to be conducted. In lab and field experiments in the United States and abroad, the rootworm larvae’s sticky blood caused certain species of predators to quickly back off. The foul-tasting blood coagulated in the predators’ mouths, temporarily gluing them shut. Predators repelled by the rootworm larvae’s blood included ground beetles and ants.

Wolf spiders, on the other hand, had a hearty appetite for rootworms. When insects such as spiders suck fluids from prey rather than chewing their victims, they may be able to bypass the ability of the blood to stick and linger.

The experiments with CABI involved two years of lab and field experiments, begun in 2007, in the United States and Hungary. In the Brookings laboratory, Lundgren and colleagues offered hungry predators a smorgasbord of rootworm larvae and pupae. In all, they have tested 10 different predator species from Europe and North America. The results have led Lundgren to research managing crop fields to encourage large and diverse predator populations.

Recovery in the Floodplain

Water treatment plants, libraries, road construction – that’s what most people think of when they hear about Recovery Act projects. However, in Illinois, America’s Recovery and Reinvestment Act goes even further. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) is restoring historical floodplains – with big benefits. According to Illinois NRCS State Conservationist Bill Gradle, “The funds used for Illinois recovery projects reduce damage caused by floodwaters—they fix problems before they happen again, which is good for us economically and environmentally.”

USDA-NRCS received Recovery Act funding to purchase easements from landowners who made the decision to take cropland out of production in flood prone areas. In most cases, the land can only grow a successful crop in 1 out of 5 years. According to Dave Hiatt, NRCS Wildlife Biologist, “In the past few years Illinois has experienced unusually wet conditions making this a prime opportunity to restore that land to its original function – storing flood waters.”

NRCS purchased the easements on more than 1,600 acres in nine counties throughout Illinois from private landowners and a county forest preserve district located close to suburban Chicago. All easements are located along streams and rivers that flow into the Illinois, the Mississippi, and the Ohio River Watershed Basins. The total cost for easements and restoration work is estimated at more than $5 million.

“Three easements located along the Wabash River join together with existing wetland restoration projects and will create five miles of restored floodplains,” adds Hiatt. Another project site is located with a contiguous natural area of 453 acres in the Embarras River floodplain. One particular project includes a substantial wetland restoration of historic Otter Pond in Lawrence County.

Once established, these contiguous wetlands will offer significant benefits for wildlife, provide flood prevention downstream, and protect water quality. In addition to flood control, floodplains provide wildlife habitats and create recreational areas. “From a tax dollar perspective,” said Hiatt, “floodplain restoration reduces crop disaster payments and saves recurring expenses of repairing levees and dredging steams.” That could save millions of dollars.

According to NRCS, ecosystem benefits are just as important. Once restored, these sites will provide high quality habitat for many species of wildlife and plants, such as migratory birds, waterfowl and shorebirds, and other wetland-dependent wildlife species.

Restoring a floodplain is not a quick process. It requires a plan for restoration work and time for new management and practices to influence that land.

All 11 Illinois projects were planned, designed, and built on schedule and were completed by the end of 2010. Each project had specific earthwork and site requirements, such as removal of a levee section, construction of small wetlands within the floodplain, and seeding of native grasses or planting trees.

USDA-NRCS offers the Wetland Reserve Program, or WRP, year round. The WRP is a voluntary program which offers landowners an opportunity to establish long-term conservation and wildlife practices and protection. Landowners who were not accepted into the Recovery Act projects may qualify for NRCS’ regular WRP. Contact the local USDA Service Center and visit with USDA-NRCS or Soil and Water Conservation District staff. Visit www.il.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/wrp_ewp/wrp_index.html to learn more.

Congratulations to ISU Dean’s List Honorees

Illinois State University has awarded over 2200 undergraduate students the honor of being on the Dean’s List for scholarship in their chosen fields of study.

Undergraduates who meet high academic standards, as established by the college of their major, are included in a Dean’s List issued each semester. Eligible students must complete 12 or more graded hours during the semester.

Dean’s List Honorees for home towns in The Prairie Advocate distribution area include Drew Robert Cheatham of Polo; and Colin Michael Fane and Kelly Elizabeth Nickrent, both of Sterling.

NARFE Meeting

Chapter 604 of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) Association will hold their monthly meeting at noon Thursday, January 20th at the House of Events in Savanna. A luncheon buffet will be available at noon for those who wish to eat. The business meeting and program will follow at 1:00. Special guest will be our District Vice President. Come and help us ring in the new year. All active and retired federal employees, spouses and survivors are cordially invited.

Lanark Library Progress Report

Activity at two different organizational meetings last week moved the new Lanark Library project two big steps closer to reality. The library board reviewed the current floor plan and production schedule and voted unanimously to recommend that the Lanark City Council approve the project work necessary to take the project through construction bidding.

City council’s January meeting was held later the same evening, January 4, at city hall. Included on the agenda was a status report on the library planning process. Councilman Mark Macomber reported that both the city planning committee and the library board were recommending council approve the next phase of the project – which included completion of the drawings and development of the specifications information to be included in the bidder packets.

It is estimated that the packets should be ready for distribution on February 1. Local contractors are being encouraged to review and submit bids for the general contractor’s reference.

“We would like to keep as much work local, as possible,” Macomber explained. Ideally, bids will be opened and reviewed the first week of March. Keep in mind that this process led to a clarified rebid for portions of the Eastland school project that resulted in an almost $300,000 cost reduction (from original bids) for the school project.

Both the library board and the Friends of the Lanark Public Library (FLPL) organizations have committed to pay one-quarter of the cost of this phase. The city had budgeted for the balance. The architect firm reports that the construction market continues to remain flat and bidding competition is very aggressive. That could be a big factor in the ultimate investment required for the new Lanark Municipal building.

For more information, please contact Floyd Roberts, Chairman of the FLPL Fund Raising Committee, at , or 493-9020.

Ladies Need Pampering

It’s been a long, cold winter, and it’s only January. Why not plan on a little TLC at the 5th Annual Ladies Pamper Day on Saturday, February 19, 2011, from 10:00 am- 4:00 pm at the Church of God, 816 S. Clay St. in Mt. Carroll, IL.

At the Pamper Day you will arrive with music, candles and finger food ready for your enjoyment. There will be demonstrations and full treatments available, such as reflexology, chair massages, haircuts, facials, makeovers and more.

There will be lots of door prizes, a fashion show, vendors for shopping, a 50/50 raffle and a silent auction.

All proceeds will go towards the Carroll County Relay For Life, a Patriots Team event to raise money.

Why not indulge in a day “out” with friends, or make it a mother-daughter day, all the while supporting a good cause?

Advance tickets are $15 and $17 day of the event. Tickets available at Savanna-Thomson State Bank (all locations), THE National Bank (both locations), Flower Fan A See, Mt. Carroll Cornerstone Chiropractic, Catwalk Salon and Naturally Therapeutic. For more information contact: Donna Althoff ( or Gwen Lowe at (815) 244-1123.

Still Time to Join the Health Fair

The Woman of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (WELCA) from First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mount Carroll have received a seed grant of $1000 designed to impact their entire community and target specifically women’s and girl’s health.

The funds will be used to put on the first annual Carroll County Health and Wholeness Fair to be held at the West Carroll Middle School in Mount Carroll on February 5, 2011. The fair will be based on the ELCA Wholeness Wheel which stresses intentionality in balancing the elements of Physical, Emotional, Social, Intellectual, Financial and Vocational areas of our lives, which all tie in to our spiritual wellbeing. We will be targeting especially women and girls of all ages. There will be booths, activities, speakers, entertainment, and door prizes.

The application deadline has been extended to January 14. Please contact First Lutheran Church at immediately if you still need to apply and to have your organization included in any advertising.

Highland Staff and Faculty Receive Excellence Awards

Highland Community College employees have an opportunity each year to nominate their colleagues for an Excellence Award. The award recognizes employees for quality work, creativity, honesty, integrity, self-development and excellence in their working relationships.

A committee made up of Excellence Award recipients from the previous two years selects the winners in each category: support staff, part-time faculty, full-time faculty and administrator. This year’s recipients include receiving/shipping/warehouse clerk Keith Weiner, welding instructor Roger Hicks, chemistry instructor John Sullivan, and bookstore manager Madonna Keeney.

Keith Weiner’s nomination recognized his strong commitment to assisting a variety of individuals departments and divisions on campus. He demonstrates excellent customer service skills and is dedicated to doing the job right – and he does so in a positive friendly manner.

Since becoming a part-time welding instructor for Highland, Roger Hicks has improved his skills in teaching to encompass both the theoretical and applied aspects of welding. More recently, Roger has excelled in a program to serve GED students and graduates in the summer welding program. In these efforts, he has provided students with a career pathway and greater understanding of the expectations held by potential employers.

John Sullivan has been teaching chemistry to Highland students since the fall of 1999. His nomination noted that he was one of the first Highland instructors to begin offering his classes online, and today, he has students from all over the country as well as overseas. He has served on several campus-wide committees, most notably, the Alternative Delivery Committee. Evidence of his passion for teaching and expertise in chemistry are found in his excellent student evaluations.

As the HCC Bookstore manager for the past 12 years, Madonna Keeney has made strides to ease the confusion, as well as lighten the burden, of textbook approvals and purchase. Two examples of her improvements include the implementation of a web-based textbook approval process for faculty and a textbook rental program for students.

The Highland Community College Foundation also annually recognizes one employee with the Opel Award named for a Highland founder, Don Opel. The award recognizes employees who go “above and beyond” in serving or promoting the College. This year the award was presented to HCC Foundation assistant, Pat Dunn. Pat was recognized for her positive commitment to Highland and the Foundation by “going above and beyond” in supporting both institutions and those they serve. Her nomination cited her willingness to keep the “best interests of the College and Foundation foremost in her mind.”

Atherton Announces Retirement as HCC Foundation Executive Director

After spending nearly 20 years with the Highland Community College Foundation — and the last 16 as executive director — Susan Atherton has announced her retirement, effective January 1, 2011.

“I want to thank all of the friends and donors that I have worked with over the years,” said Atherton. “Your generous support of HCC and its students has been inspiring. You’ve helped to truly improve the lives of so many throughout northwest Illinois.”

Known for her tireless efforts in support of Highland Community College and its mission to encourage the personal and professional growth of the residents of the college district,

Atherton began her career with the Foundation in 1991 as an administrative assistant and was promoted to executive director in 1994.

“Susan certainly will be missed. She had a strong, positive and caring relationship with so many benefactors and friends of the Foundation and the college,” said previous long-serving HCC Foundation Board president Jim Berberet. “I worked with Susan for more than 20 years while I was on the Foundation Board and as president. She was very successful in her home territory and extremely well respected by her peers at other community colleges.”

The HCC Foundation is in the process of moving forward with plans for the future. “Susan meant so much to the Foundation and friends of HCC,” said current Foundation Board president, Todd Weegens. “Hers will be big shoes to fill and the Foundation leadership is carefully looking into our next steps moving forward. We are in the midst of the largest major gift campaign our organization has ever undertaken, and we are excited about keeping the momentum going.”

The Growing for tomorrow…Changing lives today major gift campaign supports funding the cost of construction of the Ray and Betty Stamm Health Science Nursing Wing (completed in the spring of 2009); equipping it with the state-of-the art teaching tools; and providing financial assistance for nursing and health science students.

“Thanks to the generous donations and pledges of individuals and businesses throughout northwestern Illinois, the campaign has recently surpassed the ‘one-third’ milestone on our way to provide approximately $6 million to Highland College,” according to Jim Berberet, of Freeport, who serves as the campaign’s co-chair, along with his wife Kathy, and Rob and Karen Urish of Mt. Morris, in Ogle County.

According to Berberet, “Susan’s many years of building relationships throughout the college district will provide a strong basis for going forward. Our board of directors and other volunteers will pick up the slack and will help us hit our goals.”

HCC president, Dr. Joe Kanosky, commented on Atherton’s tenure with the Foundation, saying, “The college is greatly appreciative of all of the hard work Susan has done in support of the institution and our students during her 20 years with the Foundation. Her 16 years as executive director have seen many exciting things which have allowed Highland to move forward with many programs and projects that have been critical to our continued success. We look forward to continuing our close working relationship with the Foundation as it moves forward with its critical mission of providing support for Highland Community College.”

Girl Scout Cookies As Gifts

Ever think about doing something nice for someone serving in the military? Not sure what to do? The Girl Scouts are making this task easy. During the Girl Scout cookie sale, you can place an order for cookies that will be sent to military personal, along with a personal message thanking them for their service. All you have to do is mark how many boxes you wish to purchase as a donation. The Girl Scouts will handle the rest. Boxes are $4.00 each and the sale begins Jan 10. The girl selling is responsible for coloring a message to be sent. That’s all there is to it. And while you are at it, purchase some cookies for yourself. The cookie sale provides funds for Girl Scout troop activities and council programs. Girls participating in the sale learn about goal setting, money management, marketing and leadership skills. It’s so much more than great cookies.

Tax-Aide Program From Helps With Preparing Tax Returns

Tax documents will soon be arriving in the mail. Once again the Carroll County Senior Center will offer the Tax-Aide program to the community. Volunteers are trained to assist low and middle income taxpayers with an emphasis on those over 50.

Tax preparation will be for individual taxes, no farm income, rentals, partnerships or other business returns. Counselors will post an Out of Scope poster at the site.

Counselors will be available Wednesday and Friday mornings at the Senior Center, Mount Carroll beginning February 9. Appointments are necessary and may be made by calling the Senior Center at or .

Taxpayers are reminded to bring a copy of last year’s tax return (2009), Social Security cards or other official documentation for themselves and all dependents. Other documents to include are

• W-2 forms showing income from each employer

• Unemployment compensation statements

• SSA-1099 forms showing Social Security benefits received

• RRB-1099R forms showing railroad retirement benefits received

• All forms showing interest and dividends (1099-INT, 1099-DIV, 1099-B, etc.

• Documentation showing original purchase prices of assets sold

• 1099-MISC forms showing any miscellaneous income

• 1099-R forms for pensions and annuities

• All forms indicating income taxes paid

• Receipts, canceled checks, or other records for itemizing deductions

• Real estate tax receipt with the property identification number

• Records of internet or mail-order purchases which did not include Illinois sales tax.

The Tax-Aide program is sponsored by the IRS, AARP Foundation and the Carroll County Senior Service Organization. There is no fee for this service.

Kohl’s Department Stores’ Sterling Location Now Hiring

Kohl’s Department Stores (NYSE: KSS) opens its Sterling store in March and local job seekers are encouraged to apply for approximately 130 new positions that will be created. Kohl’s, which has been recognized by BusinessWeek as one of the “Best Places to Launch a Career,” is currently hiring.

A job fair is scheduled for January 16-20. Applicants should visit www.kohlscareers.com or call 1- to schedule an interview and to obtain additional information regarding time and location.

For new stores, Kohl’s needs associates for customer service, department service, cash register operation, early morning stocking, truck unloading and evening signage/pricing updates. Kohl’s associates receive competitive compensation, great benefits, an Employee Stock Ownership Plan and immediate merchandise discounts.

The Job Fair will be conducted at the Country Inn and Suites, 2106 First Ave. in Rock Falls, Ill. Dates are: Sunday, January 16, 10:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m.; Monday, January 17, 10:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m.; Tuesday, January 18, 12:15 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, January 19, 8:45 a.m. – 4:00 p.m; and Thursday, January 20, 8:45 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

For more information, please call 1- or www.kohlscareers.com .

Support for Troops on MLK Day

AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer John Huggins will be collecting items for care packages to active military stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan, as a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service project. This will be the third year that Huggins has done a community service project in observance of MLK Day. Collected items will be taken to the Operation Support Our Troops Illinois’ warehouse to be placed in care packages that they will send.

From January 17 – 28, look for collections boxes for items, cards and letters at Express Lane and Lanark Food Center in Lanark and Shaw’s Food Pride in Mt. Carroll. Monetary donation cans to help offset the shipping costs will be at Exchange State Bank and Brothers Restaurant in Lanark, First State Bank in Shannon and Lake Carroll, and da bluz boutique in Mt. Carroll. Items and monetary donations can be dropped off at the Chamber of Commerce office in Savanna.

The top ten items needed are: Peanut Butter (28 oz or less, plastic jars only), Crackers (16 oz or less, Ritz type or graham), Canned fruit (29 oz or less), Pringles, Beef Jerky, Lotion for Men (18 oz or less), Instant Pack Hand Warmers, Mouthwash (20 oz or less, plastic bottles please), Foot powder (20 oz or less), Wipes (baby or adult wipes, flat packs of 100 ct or less). For a list of more items needed please visit http://www.bheic.com/MLKDay.

In observance of MLK Day on January 17, please take a moment to write a letter or jot a note in a card to someone serving overseas and drop it off at one of the locations listed.

Fourth Graders Learn about Viscosity and Fluids

Heidi Calzavara’s 4th grade class at Eastland learned about viscosity and types of fluids through an Ag in the Classroom program. Students gained knowledge about friction and its effects. They discovered when machines work, friction is created. This friction can be undesirable when it comes to machines because it can make them work less efficiently and can cause parts to wear out quickly.

These problems are addressed with lubricants. Some lubricants are made from agricultural sources such as cattle by-products or plant oils, while other lubricants are made from petroleum products.

Then through a hands-on activity students explored viscosity. Viscosity is the measure of a fluid’s resistance to flow. In the activity students compared the viscosity of different types of fluids such as soybean oil, corn syrup, and water. The students timed how long it tookes for a marble to travel through each fluid to discover whether it has a high or low viscosity. For example, water has a low viscosity for it is thin and flows easily. However, honey has a high viscosity because it is thick and gooey.

Agriculture in the Classroom is a program to help students gain a greater awareness of the role of agriculture in the economy and society. Students learn that thousands of farm products are in the world around them—on their plate, in the clothes they wear, in the medicine that makes them well, and in earth-friendly fuels and plastics.

Ag in the Classroom is offered through the University of Illinois Extension-Ogle County in partnership with Carroll County Farm Bureau, Ogle County Farm Bureau, Carroll County Soil & Water, and Ogle County Soil & Water. For more information about the program, call the Ogle County Extension Office at (815) 732-2191.