321 Art Gallery Presents Nora Feeney Photography

Beginning on April 5th, the Artists Cooperative of Savanna will present the photography of Nora Feeney of Freeport at the 321 Art Gallery on Main Street. An Open House reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. that evening and the public is urged to come visit the gallery, meet the photographer and enjoy her work.

Though Feeney resides in Freeport where she works as an advocate for domestic violence victims, she also has a week-end home in Savanna and travels a great deal. Becoming interested in photography, she pursued this with classes at St. Dominic's College in St. Charles, Kishwaukee College in Dekalb and also worked as a photographic assistant in DeKalb in the early 70's. Since that time, she has experimented with her camera and learned along the way. Nature photography, landscapes, old buildings, flowers and people are her favorite subjects.

Feeney prefers the simplicity of black and white photography. The uncluttered looks of black and white prints have a refined quality; a high class, polished elegance that color tones can often interfere with. She feels seeing mainly shape, pattern, highlight and shadow allows the viewer to better recognize the individuality and uniqueness of the subject without being distracted by the presence of color.

"I inherited my father's love for photography and travel," she said, "Having traveled the world for almost 35 years; he was a marvelous inspiration to me. My travels are not so much a vacation, but more of a pilgrimage or great adventure. I like to leave my identity behind and lose myself in an unfamiliar land full of strangers and can spend hours wandering around with my camera just observing people. I find that travel is not only good for the mind but also the soul if one is open to the challenges of a far away land, its culture and people. This particular exhibit is just people.

"Every person photographed in my exhibit has touched me in some way," she said. Very few of her subjects were specially posed for these pictures; it was more a case of simply aiming the camera, taking the shot and hoping for the best. She vividly remembers the models in her exhibit and thinks of them often. "I wonder", she mused, about the little girl who lived in a cave in Petra, Jordan. Could she still be there, raising a family of her own, or did she escape that life and move to a village? Is the homeless dog lady in Kiev still on her corner? Did she survive another winter? Or what about the old gypsy beggar in Rome? Might she still be alive? And the old man on the park bench in Kiev? What happened in his life to cause the sadness in his eyes?"

"Inside me dwells the spirit of a wanderer," Feeney said. "My father's dream was to visit Tibet, one of the few countries he never journeyed to. My spirit is calling me to make that journey for him. I read once that what matters the most on any journey is how deeply you see, how attentively you hear and how rich the encounters are felt in your heart and soul. I am very grateful to be able to share my photos with you and hope the people that I photographed touch your heart as they have mine."

In addition to Ms. Feeney's work which will remain on display until the end of April, the 321 Art Gallery also has additional one-of-a-kind art work contributed by its members, including jewelry, knitted goods, wood works, pottery, greeting cards, posters and other gift items on exhibit.

Carroll County Substance Education Coalition Holds Retreat

The Carroll County Substance Education Coalition held a retreat on March 6, 2008 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Savanna. Holly Schultz, Community Educator, F.H.N. Freeport Family Counseling Center, who was involved in the start up of the coalition was keynote speaker.

She went over the history and vision of the coalition, and the progress they have made in the community since the coalition's inception. The group discussed the coalition's mission and future plans. Carol Geary, Project Coordinator for the Strategic Prevention Framework-State Incentive Grant, presented information and planning for building capacity within the organization in order to create sustainability to support the coalition's long term goals.

Members also discussed getting youth more involved in the coalitions work, and the development of youth groups within the communities. A committee was formed to further explore options and develop a plan for youth involvement. The group agreed that having youth involved was a vital component of the coalition's future plans.

Derek Clark, Executive Director of the Clinton County Substance Abuse Council, talked with the members about long term goals and the future of the coalition, including organizational structure. They also discussed applying for other grants to sustain their long term goals.

Members agreed that being able to maintain the coalitions' efforts is a very important factor in the prevention of underage/binge drinking and other drug usage within the county. To increase awareness of underage/binge drinking the members discussed upcoming events and plans to hold a Town Hall Meeting on April 17, 2008 during Alcohol Awareness Month. Funding for this program is provided by the Illinois Department of Human Services and is a joint effort of C.C.S.E.C., University of Illinois Extension, and Sinnissippi Centers Inc. as fiscal agent.

'Friends' Gear Up For 2008 TLP Season

Friends of Timber Lake Playhouse, a volunteer group that promotes and supports Timber Lake Playhouse, is busy preparing for the 2008 Season. There are many ways to participate in one or more of the many fund raising activities that help sustain Timber Lake Playhouse in Carroll County.

Some of the new items in the Gife Shoppe include a travel mug with TLP logo, key chains, "You're A Star" plush star ornaments, sun glasses, slotted engraved spatulas, pencils, fuzzy dice, children's aprons and blow up guitars for the children or young at heart. New items to wear include long sleeve denim shirts with TLP logo, and a t-shirt with Greek Theater mask on the front. There is always a need for people to staff the Gift Shoppe during the summer.

Friends help with the spring cleanup of the facility and grounds at the theater. Workers are always welcome to help in this activity. In addition Friends have responsibility for two of the staff/cast cabins. Special treats are needed during the season in the "Adopt a Cabin" program.

During Mayfest, held Memorial Day weekend in Mt. Carroll, Friends will have a lemon shakeup and loose meat BBQ stand in the food tent, another opportunity to assist in fund raising activities while enjoying lively conversation with other Friends of TLP members.

Two Pie and Ice Cream Socials have been planned. Help is always needed for these fund raising events as well as a Sunday Lemon Shakeup Day during the run of "All Shook Up".

In addition, Friends provide a home cooked meal for the cast and crew during the summer. What a great way to share that special recipe of yours with the hungry theater company. Perhaps being an usher is appealing.

Several times during the spring and summer Friends participate in a "Grille" at Sullivan's Food Store in Savanna and once in Stockton. If you live near Stockton or Savanna and have been wanting to help TLP, this would be your perfect chance.

All types of talents are needed to help support Timber Lake Playhouse. Please call Rita Mitchell at 815-259-3524 to offer your support.

Congratulations to the top three Accelerated Reader point earners for the third quarter at the Chadwick Elementary and Junior High School.(L to R) First place is Ryan Habben with 86.2 points, second place Emily Kleckler with 59.3 points, and third place Darien Coverdill with 56.2 points. Each student received a gift card and other rewards. (Photo courtesy of Linda Kness)

Civil War preservation groups team up to clean up Grant Home

Seven generations after the Civil War began, another wave of volunteers is about to descend on America's battlegrounds and sites ­ only this array of dedicated men and women will be armed with paint brushes, trash bags and weed whackers.

On Saturday, April 5 history buffs and preservationists from around the country will team up with the Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT) to help clean and restore America's priceless battlefields, cemeteries and shrines, including the Ulysses S. Grant Home State Historic Site in Galena. The nationwide effort, dubbed "Park Day," is underwritten with a grant from The History Channel. For the third time, this year's Park Day is presented in partnership with Take Pride in America, a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Park Day, now in its eleventh year, is an annual hands-on preservation event created by CWPT to assist local groups with the maintenance of Civil War sites. Participants gather at the sites to help with activities that range from trash removal to painting. At the Grant Home, volunteers are needed for an outdoor "spring cleaning" and painting project. In exchange for their hard work, volunteers receive t-shirts and have the opportunity to hear a local historian discuss the significance of the site.

For more information about Park Day at the Ulysses S. Grant Home, contact Din Tindell at (815) 777-9406 or granthome@granthome.com. The Ulysses S. Grant Home State Historic Site is administered by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and is open for free public tours.

With 75,000 members, the CWPT is the largest nonprofit battlefield preservation organization in the United States. You can learn more at www.civilwar.org.

Registration deadline for fishing festival

Thursday, April 10th is the last day to register for the Family Fishing Festival at the First Baptist Church in Mt. Carroll. Even though everything is FREE, registration is a must so we will know how much lasagna to make for dinner.

Spotlighting the door prizes is a five-hour fishing excursion on Lake Michigan for two people. We will also have special door prizes for children.

The Festival will feature Kevin Yokum as a speaker. Yokum is a fisheries biologist with the freshwater sportfish, managing their populations to offer better fishing opportunities for anglers. Any given day might find him stocking fish from a helicopter, tagging a 50-inch musky, electrofishing a wild mountain brook trout stream or explaining the merits of a particular wildlife regulation to legislators at the state capital.

Yokum also regularly publishes articles in In Fisherman, Bassmaster, Bass Times, Eastern Fly Fishing, Northwestern Fly Fishing, Fish Alaska Magazine, FLW Outdoors, West Virginia Wildlife, Florida Games and Fish, Virginia Game and Fish and In-Fisherman's Walleye Insider.

Such writing assignments have provided Yokum the opportunities to work with staff of BASS and ESPN. Yokum is regularly featured on the radio show West Virginia Outdoors. In addition, Yokum has made various appearances on the Outdoor Channel and recently filmed a series of full feature TV fishing shows for West Virginia television stations.

In addition, Yokum has published a book for anglers and hunters entitled "Heart Shot." The book is an inspiring devotional for outdoor enthusiasts serving to help sportsmen overcome life's challenges through hunting and fishing adventures.

The Fishing Festival will begin at 4:30 p.m. to give attendees a chance to visit with vendors in order to learn about such things as taxidermy and woodcarving. The lasagna dinner will be served at 5:30. Call Pastor Bob Ziebarth, 244-2671 or Venita McConnel, 244-6534 to make reservations.

Recycle Electronics Equipment & Appliances April 26 in Warren

Bring your outdated, working or nonworking, electronics and other household appliances to the electronics recycling collection April 26 inWarren at Hartzell's Family Foods, 9:00 a.m. until noon. This collection event is open to both residents and businesses in northwest Illinois and southwest Wisconsin areas.

Although most items may be dropped off for free, there is a $5 charge for computer monitors and televisions. Large appliances such as refrigerators, stoves, dishwashers, washers and dryers, and hot water heaters have a fee of $10.00 each. Console type televisions and radios and large screen televisions have a higher cost.

A partial list of items accepted include: hard drives, monitors, keyboards, printers, scanners, telephones, cell phones, fax machines, photocopiers, calculators, TVs, radios, stereos, boom boxes, VCRs, DVD players, microwaves, blenders, toasters, fans and window air conditioners.

The collections are sponsored by the Jo-Carroll Solid Waste Agency, University of Illinois Extension. Please direct questions regarding the event to Maggie Friedenbach, Recycling & Conservation Project Coordinator, at 815-244-9444.

Used Oil Collection April 12 ­ 2 Locations

Northwestern Illinois residents and farmers will have two chances to recycle their unwanted used oil. This year's annual collection is April 12. The collection will start at the Stockton Napa, Route 20, at 8:30 a.m. and close at that location 10:00 a.m. and then re-open 11:30 a.m. at Louie's Trenching, Route 20, east of Galena. The collection will end at 1:00 p.m. Louie's Trenching is located just off Route 20 behind First Community Bank, and across from The Irish Cottage.

There is no cost to participate and the program is open to northwestern Illinois residents and farmers but not to commercial businesses. No oil mixed with antifreeze, pesticides, water or other contaminants can be accepted. Participants are responsible for the proper disposal of their used oil containers. For more information, contact Mark Maidak, Jo-Carroll Extension Unit Leader, 815-244-9444. This program is co-sponsored by the Jo-Carroll Solid Waste Agency and University of Illinois Extension.

Taking the Next Step in E-Commerce Program to be Held

Area business owners and individuals interested in starting an internet based business or expanding their current businesses online are invited to join us for a workshop on Thursday, April 17, 2008 at Naaman Diehl Auditorium in Mt. Carroll, IL. The workshop will be held from 6:00 ­ 9:00 p.m. and will feature in- depth discussion of several topics relating to the nuts and bolts of e-commerce.

John Huggins of Errantwolf Productions will present detailed information on internet hosting, domain names, web design software and services, affiliated marketing, managing search engines, Second Life and social networking sites, and advertising sources. Robin Fisch of University of Illinois Extensionwill discuss online auctions, e-mail marketing, and utilization of e-mail newsgroups. Daryl Johnson and John McConnel of ecountrylifestyle.com will discuss blogs and e-zines. Jackie Payne of Bushel Basket Candle Company will give in-depth information about building a web page and web hosting services. The Top Ten Pitfalls to Avoid in E-business will be presented by the Small Business Development Center.

This is the first session of a series entitled "Entrepreneurship A-Z". Other topics in this series include an E-Bay workshop on April 29th from 6:00 ­ 9:00 p.m. at the Heritage Center in Lanark and "Home Based Businesses: Starting on a Shoestring" to be held at the Mt. Carroll Community Building from 6:00 ­ 9:00 p.m. on June 19th.

Pre-registration is required. Please call University of Illinois Extension at 815-244-9444 or visit our webpage at http://carroll.extension.uiuc.edu to register online or for more information.

Livestock Survey to Plan Extension Programs

Taking a five- to ten- minute online survey will help University of Illinois Extension make informed decisions about livestock grazing education and programming, according to U of I Extension Assessment and Planning Director Pennie Crinion. "U of I Extension staff has focused on providing livestock grazing education for producers through meetings, workshops, field demonstrations, websites and publications for the last few years," said Crinion. "We want to determine if the content of these educational efforts is meeting the needs of livestock producers and to identify additional educational needs." Crinion said the survey only takes a short time to complete online and is appropriate for any livestock producers (beef, dairy, sheep, goats, poultry, horses, etc.) who have participated in Extension livestock grazing workshops or other activities. The survey can be taken online at tinyurl.com/32sh9x.

Eastland FFA News Eastland FFA recently participated at the Section 1 Ag Mechanics CDE held at Lena High School. Each Student competed in one of five areas. Eastland placed 2nd as a team. Individuals placing at the contest were Cody Kruse 1st in Power, Cory Barnes 3rd in Carpentry, Josh Garnhart 1st in Electicity, Mike Rose 2nd in Surveying, and Jace Blair 3rd in Welding. Eastland FFA will be hosting a community Blood Drive on Wednesday, April 9 from 1:30 to 6:30 pm. at Eastland High School Cafeteria. It is highly recommended to make reservation for giving by calling 815.493.6341. Again this year the supply for blood is low. Make a difference and donate to the Rock River Valley Blood Center. All blood collected is used in local hospitals. Make sure you bring some form of ID when donating. Eastland FFA will be raising Bedding plants this spring and will have bedding plants for sale during May. Sale hours at the greenhouse will be advertised in April.

Rotary-spike Harrow Rental Program

Do you want to incorporate chemicals or nitrogen and reduce the chance of volunteer grains? Do you need to spread residue evenly prior to no-till planting? Do you need to dry out the soil or level off some ridges? If you answered yes to any of these questions, the Carroll County SWCD has the right "tool" for your use. The Phoenix Rotary-Spike Harrow is available for Carroll County landowners to rent for use on their farms. This harrow folds down to 10 feet for transport, unfolds to 40 feet wide for operation, and requires a 140Hp tractor. The recommended field speed is 8-10 mph for use. For more information on rental cost and scheduling, please contact the Carroll County SWCD at (815) 244-8732, extension 3.

Salford Rental

The Carroll County Soil and Water Conservation District has a residue management tool available for rent by county farmers. The Salford Residue Tillage Specialist is a tillage tool used in farm fields with heavy corn stalk cover. This year's extra heavy corn stalk cover is a good place to use the tool. The Salford's 38 coulters cut the residue into manageable sized pieces across its entire 22 foot width of the machine. The spring tine harrow and rolling basket distributes crop residue evenly across the field. The result is better seedbed preparation and erosion control. The tool is designed for high speed and low maintenance. The implement requires a 150 horse power tractor for operation.

The Salford is available for spring or fall rental for $6.50 per acre. Contact the Carroll County SWCD at 815-244-8732 ext.#3 for more information or to sign up for spring rental.

Savanna Kid's Corps Performing 'Jonah and the Whale'

The Savanna Kid's Corps, a character building program of The Salvation Army, will be performing their rendition of "Jonah and the Whale." First performance will be on Monday @6:00PM on March 31,2008 at Church on a Hill (926 Viaduct Rd- the old Chestnut school) refreshments to follow. Second performance will be on Sunday April 6th, 9AM @ Church on a Hill, and 11AM at Common Ground Fellowship.

The children have worked very hard, and we have been blessed to have stage advice from Gretchen Law. Thanks GG! Playing the part of Jonah is Randy Guzik. The voice of God: Jacob Rogers. Narrator: Jessica Poore. Ticket Man: Robert Poore. King of Nineva: Anthony Mc Colley. Sound crew: Janessa Larson and Caprice. Whale body: Theo and Turtle. Cast of Ninevites and sailors too. Written by Jonah, and Directed by Karen and Sara Eagle. Special musical performance by the Moonbeams directed by Sharon Padget.

Savanna Kid's Corps is now meeting on Mon. evenings at 5:30 PM through the school year. Community Vacation Bible School will be July 14 -18 at the First United Methodist Church. Children enrolled in Kid's Corps and areregistered members may attend Eagle Crest Camp. Service Extension Camp is open to all children ages 8 -12. July 21,2008

There is no cost. Free camp physical and transportation will be included. Call Karen for more information 273-7062

Homeowners eligible for home repair loans and grants

Homeowners in Carroll County are eligible to apply for home repair grants and low interest home improvement loans, thanks to a United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development program.

A Rural Development repair loan is similar to a home improvement loan. The money must be used to improve or modernize homes, make them safer and more sanitary, or remove health and safety hazards. Examples of eligible repairs include roofing, siding, windows, foundation repairs, kitchen cabinets, septic system, furnace/air conditioning. The maximum loan amount is $20,000. Loans can be made for a term of 20 years at one percent interest. The applicant needs to own and occupy the home, have acceptable credit, and be able to repay the loan.

A limited number of home repair grants are also available to applicants who meet very low income guidelines, are 62 years of age or older and demonstrate an inability to make loan payments. There is a $7,500 lifetime limit on repair grant funds. Grant funds can only be used to address health, safety or accessibility issues for the home. Unlike loans, grants do not have to be repaid. Grants are frequently made in conjunction with small loans.

To learn more about these programs, homeowners are encouraged to contact Lorali Heintzelman at the Oregon Rural Development Office at 815/732-6127, ext. 4. The Oregon Office covers the following Northwestern Illinois counties: Carroll, Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Winnebago, Ogle, and Lee.

Information is also available at www.rurdev.usda.gov/il/ Eligibility rules apply.

Homeowners eligible for home repair loans and grants

Homeowners in Carroll County are eligible to apply for home repair grants and low interest home improvement loans, thanks to a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development program.

A Rural Development repair loan is similar to a home improvement loan. The money must be used to improve or modernize homes, make them safer and more sanitary, or remove health and safety hazards. Examples of eligible repairs include roofing, siding, windows, foundation repairs, kitchen cabinets, septic system, furnace/air conditioning. The maximum loan amount is $20,000. Loans can be made for a term of 20 years at one percent interest. The applicant needs to own and occupy the home, have acceptable credit, and be able to repay the loan.

A limited number of home repair grants are also available to applicants who meet very low income guidelines, are 62 years of age or older and demonstrate an inability to make loan payments. There is a $7,500 lifetime limit on repair grant funds. Grant funds can only be used to address health, safety or accessibility issues for the home. Unlike loans, grants do not have to be repaid. Grants are frequently made in conjunction with small loans.

To learn more about these programs, homeowners are encouraged to contact Lorali Heintzelman at Oregon Rural Development Office at 815/732-6127, ext. 4. The Oregon Office covers the following Northwestern Illinois counties: Carroll, Jo Daviess, Stephenson, Winnebago, Ogle, and Lee.

Information is also available at www.rurdev.usda.gov/il/

Eligibility rules apply.

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