Illinois Optimist State Essay Contest

Loren Thacher, a senior at West Carroll High School, has won the Illinois Optimist State Essay Contest. He was entered through the Sterling, IL Optimist Club and will received a $2500 college scholarship at the District meeting in Peoria on April 30. (L to R) Wayne Gann, President Sterling Optimist Club; LorenThacher; Richard Schuneman Club Essay Chairman. (Courtesy of Richard Schuneman)

Mt Carroll Rotary Club

Students of the month Mandy Kallemeyn and Colton Sedig were guests of the Morrison Rotary Club on Wednesday, April 27th.

Wildflower Walk and Tree Dedication

The public is invited to join in a celebration of the life of Oscar Gustus on May 14th, 2011 at the Schurmeier Teaching Forest at 147 E Reusch Rd in Elizabeth. Mr. Gustus was a founding member of the Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation, the Illinois Walnut Council, and the NW Illinois Forestry Association. Expert staff from JDCF will point out migratory birds and unique wildflowers on an approximately one-mile hike through the forest beginning at 1pm. At 2:30 there will be a tree dedication ceremony for Mr. Gustus. Admission is free.

To reach the Schurmeier Teaching Forest turn south on Derinda Road off of Hwy 20 just east of Elizabeth, follow Derinda to Tower Rd and turn right, take Tower to the end and turn left on Reusch Road. The forest is about one-half mile down on the left with parking on the right. Meet at the shelter near the parking area. Be sure to wear boots and weather appropriate clothes. Bring binoculars if you have them and are interested in birds.

For more information, visit JDCF at 126 N Main Street in Elizabeth, IL, call (815) 858-9100, or find them online at www.jdcf.org.

Emmanuel Reformed to Host “The Perry’s” in Concert

Continuing with its 2011 concert series, Emmanuel Reformed Church, 202 E Morris Street, Morrison, IL is thrilled to welcome one of Southern Gospel music’s favorite mixed groups, “The Perry’s,” back in concert on Friday, May 6 at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary of the church. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. No tickets are needed; a free-will love offering will be received.

A spaghetti supper will precede the concert, serving from 5:00 to 6:30 in the Multipurpose Room of the Christ Center. This delicious meal will be available for a donation to benefit the ministries of the High School Youth Fellowship.

All are welcome to attend this concert of inspirational music and stirring testimony. Invite your friends and neighbors. For more information, please check out the Emmanuel website at and click on the “concert series” button.

Pearl City Quilt Shop Hits the ‘Big Time’

Featured in Better Homes and Gardens® Quilt Sampler® Magazine

Quilters from all over Northwest Illinois “talk shop” during the magazine-signing event at Yellow Creek Quilt Designs on Thursday, April 28.

Yellow Creek Quilt Designs {formerly Sew Many Antiques}, a quilt shop in Pearl City, IL, has been chosen as one of the 11 featured shops across the United States for the Spring 2011 issue of Quilt Sampler® magazine, published by Better Homes and Gardens.

Owners Jill Shaulis and Vicki Olsen started their business when the old bank/post office building in downtown Pearl City became available. Called “Sew Many Antiques,” the original business model was a combination quilt, antique and gift shop. Today, their line of more than 30 Yellow Creek Quilt Design patterns are available in shops in at least 30 states.

Quilt Sampler, published twice a year, has been profiling North America’s top quilt shops for the past 14 years. Quilt shops submit a detailed application on their history, business promotions, charitable work, teaching schedules and design philosophies. A panel of quilt experts narrows down the applications to 10 featured shops for each issue.

Competition to be included in Quilt Sampler is keen. Nearly 3,000 quilt shops are eligible to apply for this year’s honor. Yellow Creek Quilt Designs and the other 10 shops chosen were photographed and interviewed by a team from Quilt Sampler, and a multi-page profile of the shop appears in the issue, which will be available at newsstands on May 10, 2011 - if you didn’t make it to the pre-release signing held Thursday, April 28.

Sisters and business partners Vivki Olsen (left) and Jill Shaulis (center) sign a magazine for Jan Ulesich of Lake Carroll. Jill said that after the official news stand sale date of May 10th there will be many more photos of the shop and their staff at the web-site www.allpeoplequilt.com. (PA photos/Tom Kocal)

Employees of each quilt shop also design an original quilt for the magazine, and the full- sized pattern for the quilt appears in the issue of Quilt Sampler. The “Cross and Crown” quilt selected for the Yellow Creek Quilt Design feature was designed by Jill, although the sisters would have preferred a different one.

“We hoped they would have chosen an “Edna Jane” design,” Jill said, referring to their mother, Edna Meyer. Jill took her first quilting class with her mom in 1989, and Vicki joined them soon after.

Chosen shops are inundated with visitors and requests for the shop’s quilt patterns and

fabrics. Quilters are known to try and visit all the shops in each issue, getting the signature of each shop owner in their copy of the issue.

The art of quilting has changed dramatically since the days of quilting bees in church

basements, with quilting enjoying a major renaissance across the country. The total value of the U.S. quilting industry has grown to an annual expenditure of $2.7 billion.

 

 

 

 

 

Zach Whitebread Wins State FFA Proficiency Award

Left is Zach Whitebread, a member of the West Carroll FFA Chapter and his advisor Dan Hartman and Don Mathey, Agriculture Education Instructor at West Carroll High School. Zach will be honored as a state award winner during the Illinois FFA Convention, June 14-16, 2011 , at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield, Illinois.

Springfield, Illinois: Zach Whitebread ofMt. Carroll, a member of the West Carroll Chapter, won the State Swine Production-Placement Award at the State FFA Proficiency Awards Day held April 2, 2011, at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Zach is the son of Gary and Carla Whitebread of Mt. Carroll. His agriculture education instructor at West Carroll High School is Dan Hartman and Don Mathey.

The Swine Production-Placement Award is one of 50 State FF A Proficiency Awards. Five finalists from each award area had previously advanced through chapter, section and district competition. Zach will receive the award during the Illinois FFA State Convention, June 14-16, 2011, at the Prairie Capital Convention Center, Springfield, Illinois.

Selection of the state award winners is based on a personal interview as well as the size and growth of the FFA members’ Supervised Agricultural Experience Program and their knowledge of the subject. The 50 state award winners were selected from over 17,000 FFA members state wide.

The Illinois Foundation FFA sponsors the proficiency award program and provides medals, plaques and other awards for more than 4,000 Illinois FFA members each year.

Hotshots Hold Meeting

The Milledgeville Hotshots 4-H club held their monthly meeting on April 13, 2011. The club cut squares of material to donate to the Trinity Lutheran Church in Lanark. The club also decorated flower pots to celebrate the arrival of spring. The Hotshots are planning to hold a Dairy Promotion Day on June 3, 2011 at the Milledgeville State Bank. Mary Franque, Randi Marie Kleckner, and Kaiti Collins are headed to the State Hippology Contest after placing 1st, 5th, and 6th respectively at Regionals. The next meeting will be on May 11, 2011 at 7:00 PM at the Milledgeville State Bank.

Pictured above is the Keziah Pasch of the Milledgeville 4-H Club with the flower pot she made for her Mom.

The Milledgeville 4-H Club cut quilt square for the Trinity Lutheran Church in Lanark at their last meeting. Pictured above are Mary Franque, Emily Kleckner, Sarah VenHuizen.

CC DAR Members Attend State Conference

Pictured Left to Right. Front row: Maggie Henneman, Chas. Carroll Chapter, C.A.R., Houston TX; Sarah Callahan, Chas. Carroll Chapter, C.A.R.,Moline IL. Middle row: Mary LaShelle, Vice Regent, Shannon; Carol Recktenwall, Elizabeth, District II; Director; NSDAR President General Merry T. Wright; IL State Regent Luanne F. Bruckner,Thomson; Connie Foster, Regent, Chadwick; Heidi Henneman, NY. Back row: Kara Saunders, C.A.R., Galena; Jennifer Race, Galena; June Kingery, Chaplain, Lanark; Cindy Dyson, Treasurer, Albany; Gwen Smith, Registrar/Historian, Thomson; Carolyn Henneman, TX.

Members of Carroll Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, attended the Illinois DAR State Conference in Bloomington, IL April 14-17, 2011. The theme of the State Conference was “Spirit of Patriotism”.

The President General of NSDAR, Merry Ann Thompson Wright, was an honored guest, as were the State Regents of Florida, Indiana, South Carolina, and Texas.

During the DAR School Luncheon on Friday, the 100th birthday of President Ronald W. Reagan was celebrated. President Reagan was the only President of the United States to have been born in Illinois. National Defense Night featured the U.S. Navy Band from the Great Lakes Naval Station with Col. Barbara Makant, the Florida State Regent, as the guest speaker.

The state winners of the NSDAR national contests; Good Citizens, Christopher Columbus, and American History, as well as the Outstanding Teacher of American History were presented and received their awards on Saturday afternoon. Various awards to individuals and chapters were announced.

Sunday morning was the Memorial Service followed by a brunch. The brunch is for the recognition of the achievements of the Illinois Daughters and Chapters.

The Illinois State Organization has had 3 new chapters installed during the biennium and the state has about 7300 members. The National Organization currently has 167,000 members.

First Grade Class Gets Bushel of Books

The Carroll County Farm Bureau Foundation awarded a Bushel of Books to Angela Kamper and the West Carroll First Grade. The main goal of the Foundation is to promote Ag Education. Each year the foundation awards scholarships to college students in pursuit of an ag related degree. In past years they have also offered teacher scholarships for classroom material that promotes agriculture and assisted teachers with taking the Summer Ag Institute class.

The books included in the bushel were selected from the Ag in the Classroom top 15 Ag Books. They included: Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin, How do Apples Grow? By Betsy Maestro, Farmers Market by Carmen Parks, From Wheat to Pasta by Robert Egan, Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin, Farm Animals by Jennifer Blizin Gills, From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons, Chickens Have Chicks by Lynn Stone, Cow by Jules Older, Century Farm: One Hundred Years on a Family Farm by Cris Peterson, Extra Cheese Please!: Mozzarella’s Journey from Cow to Pizza by Cris Peterson, and Fantastic Farm Machines by Cris Peterson.

Violet Fisch

The family of Violet (Karrow) Fisch, in her memory, donate the memoirs of Violet to the Wysox Township Library in Milledgeville Wednesday, April 27, 2011. (L to R) Parker and Justin Litwiller, Violet’s great-grandsons; her children Alice Brill, Sterling, Elwyn (Robin) Fisch, Milledgeville, and Gloria Litwiller (seated) of Milledgeville; Bailey Fisch, grandaughter; and Doug Litwiller, grandson. They presented 3 booklets written by Violet: “The Karrow Kids,” incidents from Violet’s growing-up days on a farm south of Milledgeville; “Life on the Farm,” memories of how things were done in the old days; and “George Olmsted & Our Family,” tells of George’s kindness to Violet’s family and widowed grandmother. The booklets will be on permanent display in the Milledgeville History section of the library. (PA photo/Tom Kocal)

Hidden Treasures

Hidden Treasures departure day at the First State Bank of Shannon. This group got ready for a 13 day escorted group tour, featuring the best of Italy: Rome, Montecatini, Florence, Siena, Pisa, Cinque Terre, Venicei, Lake Garda and Milan, which left April 5 - 17, 2011. Please contact the First State Bank of Shannon for more information on future scheduled events.

Luna Guest Speaker at Savanna Ladies Day Luncheon

The Annual Savanna Chamber of Commerce Ladies Day Luncheon was held on April 27th at the House of Events. Over 80 guests enjoyed a delicious lunch prepared by House of Events.

In the top photo, the ladies discuss relevant topics of the day before the lunch and guest speaker’s program.

At right, Kay Luna (rt.), former Savvy Shopper columnist for the Quad City Times, is welcomed by Pam Brown, Savanna Chamber of Commerce executive secretary. Luna is an 11-year veteran of the Quad-City Times in Davenport, Iowa, where she is an award-winning reporter, blogger and columnist. She also teaches journalism as an adjunct faculty member at Scott Community College in Bettendorf, Iowa, and appears on the morning show every Friday on Mix 96 (96.1 FM) in the Quad Cities. Luna’s program was on her life in the newspaper business.

Main Sponsors for the event were Blue Appraisals; Riverside Dental PC; Miner, Gilroy & Meade CPA, PC; Savanna Thomson State Bank; THE National Bank; and The Prairie Advocate Newspaper.

(PA photos/Tom Kocal)

Iditarod Returns to Shannon

Eastland Middle School in Shannon will host the 19th annual Eastland Iditarod. On Friday, May 6th at 12:30pm.

The Race will begin with official starter Bonnie Foust, Mayor of Shannon, and will end with an awards ceremony in the school’s gymnasium.

Eastland third grade students have been learning about “The Last Great Race,” the Alaskan Dog Sled Race, in the classroom under the guidance of Sue Lamoreux, Amy Snyder and Connie Zuck, and in Physical Education class with Kristy Pierce and Scott Hartman.

Eastland’s Great Race will consist of six dog sled teams trying to complete all the required tasks of this grueling mile long course, while displaying good teamwork and sportsmanship. The lessons learned on the trail of hard work and team cooperation toward the common goal of completing and possibly winning this great race will be evident.

Local Veterinarian, Alan Schroeder will be making sure that all “dogs” are receiving outstanding care during the race. The race also has many wonderful parent volunteers that help out at various checkpoints throughout the race that teams are required to stop at.

Morthland Hosts Grand Opening

You are invited to attend the Grand Opening of State Representative Rich Morthland’s District Office on Saturday, May 7, 2011, from 2 pm to 4 pm. His office is located at 4416 River Drive in Moline, Illinois. Refreshments will be served.

Regular office hours are:

Monday & Tuesday - 9am to 6 pm; Wednesday, Thursday & Friday - 9am to 5 pm

For more information, please call (309) 736-3008.

Milledgeville Appoints New District Fire Chief

The Milledgeville Fire Protection District has announced the appointment of David Folk of Milledgeville as the new District Chief of the Milledgeville Fire Protection District.

Folk was chosen by the Board of Trustees after interviewing a number of applicants on April 18th. Dave Folk will assume the position on May 1, 2011 and is presently serving as Station Chief at the Milledgeville Fire Station. Dave Folk has served as the Milledgeville Station Chief from 1993 to 2000 and again from 2004 to the present day. Dave has also served as the MABAS Division 29 President from 2003 to 2005 and was the MABAS Division Commander of the Carroll County units that participated in the Hurricane Katrina Deployment.

Replacing Dave Folk at the Milledgeville Station as Station Chief will be Kevin Folk. Chad Adams will assume the position of Station Chief at the Coleta Fire Station replacing Chief Gary Buis who is stepping down after 16 years as the Coleta Station Chief. Kevin Folk has served as Station Chief from 2001 to 2004 and presently as an Assistant Chief at the Milledgeville Station. Adams is presently serving as the Assistant Chief at the Coleta Station. Both will also assume their new positions effective May 1st.

The District Chief’s position was last filled by Loran Crawford from the inception of the Milledgeville Fire District in 1948 to 1972 and has remained vacant. At the request of the fire districts membership at the annual meeting it was decided to fill the position at this time. The District Chief will perform the technical, administrative and supervisory duties in planning, directing and implementing fire protection and emergency medical services within the Fire Protection District.

Champions 4 Children Walk/Kids Fest

Saturday, May 7th at Krape Park in Freeport, Tyler’s Justice Center for Children will host the Champions 4 Children Walk/Kids Fest. Registration for the 1 mile Walk is 9:00 a.m. at the Koenig Shelter.

The Walk will kick-off at 9:30, with a memorial balloon release, honoring all the children Tyler’s has served in the past year. At 10:00, games with guaranteed prizes, for toddlers to teens, face painting and art/crafts projects begin.

The cost for any kid’s event is only $1. For the adults we have a raffle packages available at 10:00. Raffle packages of generous donations from local businesses are over $300 value each! You do not have to participate in the Walk to play games and buy a chance on raffles.

Come out to the Park and have a good time! All proceeds go to Tyler’s Justice Center for Children and Child Advocacy Centers of Illinois.

HCC Instructor Wins Award at National Forensics Tournament

Highland Community College Speech Instructor and Forensics Coach, Jim Yeager, was presented with the Collie-Taylor Coach’s Fellowship Award at the Phi Rho Pi National Forensics Tournament held in Greenwich, CT on April 16th.

Yeager coached Highland students Alex Aebly, Kristina Kerchner and Kevin Schmidt, all of Freeport, at the tournament held each April.

The recipient of the Collie-Taylor Coach’s Fellowship Award is selected by a vote of the students participating in the tournament and represents the coach who best exemplifies the finest qualities of a Phi Rho Pi educator.

“I was incredibly honored and humbled to win the award,” said Yeager. “Knowing it was voted on by the students at the tournament meant a lot to me since it’s the students that keep me coming back year after year.”

Highland’s Forensics provides an opportunity for students to enhance their research and communication skills. The team competes in public speaking competitions on the local, regional, state, and national level.

For more information about Forensics at Highland Community College, contact Jim Yeager at jim.yeager@highland.edu, or call 815-599-3432.

Morthland’s FOID Card Audit Underway

Illinois Auditor General William Holland is conducting a management audit of the Illinois State Police in their administration of the FOID Card program. State Representative Rich Morthland (R-Cordova) initiated this audit when House Resolution 89 recently passed the Illinois House of Representatives in a unanimous vote.

“Recently, I spoke with the Auditor General who informed me that the audit is underway,” Morthland said. “When the House passed my FOID Card privacy legislation, I gave assurances that the audit of the FOID Card program would begin soon. I am pleased to hear that this audit is moving forward.”

The legislation is a companion to House Bill 3500, which adds an exemption to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act protecting personal information of Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) cardholders. HB 3500 prohibits State and local governments from publicly releasing names or other private information of FOID cardholders or applicants and HR89 calls for an audit of the entire process.

Nationally Recognized Hematologist to Speak in Sterling

Nationally recognized hematologist, Stephanie A. Gregory, MD, will be the featured speaker at the upcoming Leukemia, Lymphoma & Myeloma Support Group meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, May 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the CGH Medical Center Ryberg Auditorium, 100 E. LeFevre Rd., Sterling. Dr. Gregory is the Eloida Kehm Chair of Hematology and Professor of Medicine at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

This event is free and open to the public.

“The support group provides people with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma and their loved ones with critical information about their disease, treatment options, and the latest in research,” said Dr. Mir Alikhan, Oncologist at the Sterling Rock Falls Clinic. “We encourage all who have been touched by these diseases to attend this program.”

To attend, please RSVP to Home of Hope of the Rock River Valley at (815) 288-4673.

Jacobs Announces Local Rail Improvement Projects

Senator Mike Jacobs (D-Moline) is announcing a number of safety improvement projects throughout the 36th legislative district that will repair and upgrade rail crossings. This five-year construction plan will bring over $135.4 million in improvements statewide.

“This is a five year plan that will improve public safety by installing and updating rail road crossings,” stated Senator Jacobs. “I am happy that the state is starting on projects that will put people throughout the district to work.”

Local projects will take place throughout Carroll, Henry, Rock Island and Whiteside Counties. The majority of the projects will include adding automated flashing light signals and installing rail gates. Other projects will include the complete reconstruction of certain road crossings because of degradation. These projects will increase safety for motorists and pedestrians along local streets.

A few specific projects include:

$434,374 to be used in Carroll County for the installation of automated flashing signals and crossing gates;

$654,654 will be used in Henry County for the installation of automated flashing signals and crossing gates;

$1,721,121 will be used throughout Rock Island County for upgrading and installing automated flashing signals and crossing gates, as well as resurfacing crossings;

$247,500 will be used in Whiteside County for the installation of automated flashing signals and crossing gates, as well as reconstructing crossings.

The Grade Crossing Protection Fund is used to make improvements at highway-railroad crossings and bridges that are determined to be in the interest of public safety. Money in the Fund is appropriated from the Illinois Department of Transportation to assist local counties, townships and municipalities in paying for safety improvements at highway-rail grade crossings on local roads and streets.

“The funding for these projects will bring additional job opportunities to the district over the next five years,” stated Jacobs.

TriCounty Gun Club Hosts Open House

TriCounty Gun Club of Poto, Illinois will be having an open house May 7 and May 8 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day. This is open to the public. All of the ranges will be open with either a range officer or instructor in charge. There will be nine different shooting sports in session and an archery area also.

There will be manufacture’s representatives in attendance. There will be raffles and door prizes. There will be a food stand from 11:00-2:00 each day. TriCounty Gun Club is located between Polo andMilledgeville on Milledgeville Road. Watch for the gun club’s sign.

Tri County Gun Club

3441 5 Brookville Road

Polo,ll., 61064

www.tcgc.net

GPS Coordinates: N4158.043’, W08940.966’

Big Meadows Celebrates National Nursing Home Week

Big Meadows Nursing Home will be celebrating National Nursing Home week during May 8-14. Per the National Nursing Home Week website, this year’s theme – like the uniquely American phrase “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” – is all about living life to its fullest potential. We are familiar with the necessities of health care – e.g. medical treatments, nursing care, therapies and nutrition. What distinguishes long term and post-acute care from other health care settings is their focus on caring for the whole person.

“Fulfilling the Promise” means holistic care. This is seen when staff gives comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, hugs when spirits sag, friendship to lighten a day, confidence when in doubt and companionship to counter fear and loneliness. “Fulfilling the Promise” produces meaningful, and most importantly, positive outcomes, satisfaction and an excellent working environment.

Activities planned for this week include: Monday, May 9 at 3 pm an old fashioned ice cream social with various homemade baked goods and ice cream. Tuesday, May 10 is designated as Hug Day, a Birthday Party with Love and Care Gospel will be held at 2pm and a Hug Craft at 6 pm. Wednesday, May 11 is designated as Smile Day. The residents will have smile stickers to pass out to those they see smiling. The community coffee will be held at 9:30 with a joke theme. In the afternoon residents will be hosting a banana split social to honor staff and the day will end with a 6:00 smile dice game. Friday, May 13 the resident council will be holding a bake sale in conjunction with the Hot Dog Hurrah from 10:00-1:30. Luck themed activities will occur this day including a four leaf clover hunt and lucky charm bingo. The community is invited to attend all events or to just stop in and show their support.

Big Meadows is located at 1000 Longmoor Ave., Savanna. For more information, call 815-273-2238, email info@bigmeadows.biz or check out the website at www.bigmeadows.biz.

5th Annual Carroll County Tractor Drive

Carroll County Farm Bureau Public Relations team is sponsoring their fifth “Antique Tractor Drive” on Friday, June 10. Participants will have the opportunity to share the day with other antique tractor enthusiasts as they travel through northwestern Carroll County.

We will start the day at the Carroll County Fairgrounds in Milledgeville. We will make our way through Carroll County as we head north to Lanark, over to Mount Carroll for lunch, and back to Milledgeville through Chadwick.

Pre-registration is required by June 3 and is limited to the first 75 tractors. Tractors must be a 1975 model or older. The registration fee of $20 includes refreshments throughout the day and lunch. If you would like more information, you may contact the Carroll County Farm Bureau at (815) 244-3001 or download an application at www.carrollcfb.org.

Jacobs Legislation Protects Seniors From Fraud

Senator Mike Jacobs (D-Moline) has passed legislation out of the Illinois Senate which will protect seniors from fraudulent insurance policies and insurance sales people.

“I am sponsoring this bill to ensure that no one takes advantage of our seniors,” stated Senator Jacobs.

Senate Bill 1607 is intended to prevent insurance companies, or those who actually sell or negotiate insurance policies from using a certification or credential in a way that misleads senior citizens. In addition, this bill makes it a crime to deceive seniors into believing that the insurance producer has “special” qualifications relating to selling life insurance to them that does not really exist.

This legislation would penalize, for example, any fake certification or professional designation. This legislation also covers any type of certification or professional designation that was simply “purchased” as a marketing ploy, or any misrepresentation of background or qualifications.

Under this legislation, a violation of this act is considered a deceptive act under the Illinois Insurance Code. This allows the Department of Insurance to hold a hearing on the alleged deceptive act and potentially issue a cease and desist order against the insurance producer, essentially shutting them down.

“It is important that seniors are not misled by false information when making the important decision of whether to buy life insurance or other annuity products,” stated Jacobs.

Participants Needed For 4-H Expansion & Review Meeting

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

We are looking for a variety of people to represent the varied needs and interests of the young people in our county. Because of your concern for youth in your community, your involvement in youth programs, or your knowledge of issues facing youth, you would be an asset to this committee. You do not need to be currently involved in the 4-H Program to participate.

The 4-H Expansion and Review Committee plays a role in evaluating program offerings, reviewing enrollment trends, and developing plans for reaching underserved youth. The Committee needs input from youth and adults; those who have participated in 4-H Programs as well as those who have not. Please note that committee meetings are limited to one or two per year. We are looking for adults and youth ages Jr. High age on up.

The committee will meet Thursday, May 5, at 6:30 p.m., in the Extension Office meeting room in Mt. Carroll. We will conclude by 7:30/8:00 p.m. Pizza and dessert will be served. Please bring your own drink. Please RSVP to the Extension Office by May 3 to help us with plans.

If you have questions about the Expansion and Review Committee, contact Leanne Rahn at University of Illinois Extension Office at 815-244-9444 or lrahn@illinois.edu.

Sheep/Goat Weigh-in & Tattooing For State Fair

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

On Saturday, May 14, will be the annual sheep/goat weigh-in and tattooing for any 4-H’er or FFA member that is planning to exhibit at the Illinois State Fair Jr. Show in August.

This is not a requirement to show on the county level only if you are going to State Fair.

The weigh-in will take place at the Terry Bocker farm near Lanark, from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Please arrive during this time. This will be the only weigh-in for state in this area. Others are scheduled for the Quad Cities and in Central Illinois.

If you have any questions please call the Carroll County Extension Office at 815-244-9444 or e-mail Leanne Rahn at lrahn@illinois.edu.

The weigh-in will be held rain or shine. You must be 10 years old by September 1, 2010 to exhibit at the Illinois State Fair Jr. Show.

Highland Community College Celebrates 48th Commencement

The northwest Illinois community and friends of Highland Community College are invited to join our 2011 graduates and their families as we celebrate the 48th Annual Commencement Ceremony to be held on Saturday, May 14, 2011, at 10:00 a.m.

The ceremony will be held outdoors on the beautiful HCC campus in Freeport, IL. Commencement will take place in the courtyard between the Marvin-Burt Liberal Arts Center and Natural Science and Health Center. Guest parking will be located in parking lot D on the south side of campus outside of the Natural Science and Health Center.

The college is expecting the largest number of participating graduates ever so seating will be limited and available on a first come, first served basis.

In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held in the Larry F. Kahl Gymnasium located in the YMCA Sports Center on Highland’s Freeport campus. Due to the large number of graduates, tickets will be required to attend the ceremony if held in the Sports Center.

This year’s address will be given by Harold Holzer, one of the country’s leading authorities on Abraham Lincoln and the political culture of the Civil War era. A prolific writer and lecturer, and frequent guest on television, Holzer serves as chairman of The Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation, successor organization to the United States Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission (ALBC).

Preserving Gravestones & Cemetery Monuments

The Campbell Center for Historic Preservation Studies in Mount Carroll, IL is offering a special one-day course entitled “Preservation of Gravestones and Cemetery Monuments.” This course is being offered by gravestone preservation expert, Jon Appell. Jon resides on the East Coast and is coming to the Campbell Center to teach two longer, more intensive workshops on gravestone preservation.

He has agreed to teach this course for local individuals who have an interest in preserving local cemeteries. He will cover basic resetting, cleaning, and maintenance of older gravestones and monuments. You can view his website at www.gravestoneconservation.com.

Jon has been teaching gravestone preservation at the Campbell Center since 2008. Most of his class is conducted at Oak Hill Cemetery in Mount Carroll. Jon estimates that over the years he and his classes have restored over 25 stones at Oak Hill. He always enjoys coming to Mt. Carroll and working in the beautiful Oak Hill Cemetery. Campbell Center is proud to be a part in helping to preserve the history and dignity of those who have been laid to rest here.

This is a great opportunity to receive important training at a very reasonable cost. This course will take place on Saturday, May 21, 2011. After a brief orientation at the Campbell Center campus, the workshop will move to a local cemetery, where the rest of the workshop will be taught through demonstration and hands-on practice. Campbell Center is offering this course a reduced price of $50.00 per person. This is a full-day workshop, and all the necessary equipment will be provided. You will also be provided with a list of suppliers for the materials you will need to carry out your own repairs. The hours for the course will be 8:30 – 4:30, with an hour break for lunch. You will be required to bring your own lunch.

We hope that you will take advantage of this special course, and register early. There is a limit of 20 people for this workshop.

To register for the class please call the Campbell Center office at 815-244-1173, or email us at nappi@campbellcenter.org.

KROS Hosts Trivia Night for TLP

In celebration of Timber Lake Playhouse’s 50 anniversary, KROS Radio 1340 AM and The Odeon in Clinton, Iowa will be hosting a Team Trivia Night, this Friday, May 6 at 7pm. Sign up begins at 6:30pm for teams of up to eight people. Entry fee is $10 per person. Teams will have the chance to win prizes of $100 for 1st place and $50 for 2nd place.

The evening is a fundraiser for Timber Lake Playhouse and Meadowview Pool Association. The benefit is located at The Odeon, 80 25th Avenue North, Clinton, Iowa. For more information about The Odeon call 563- 243-1500. Information about Timber Lake Playhouse is available at www.timberlakeplayhouse.org.

School Transportation Cuts Could Have Far-Reaching Consequences

Slashing state funding for public school transportation in half could have dire unintended consequences for students, parents and taxpayers according to the head of the statewide organization that represents school superintendents throughout the state.

“Things sometimes look great on paper, but these proposed cuts would reach into the classroom and potentially even have safety implications for children,” said Brent Clark, executive director of the Illinois Association of School Administrators. “Providing transportation for students is mandated by the state, so districts would have to shift local resources from the classroom and other places to fulfill that mandate.”

Schools are required to provide transportation for students living beyond a mile-and-a-half from their school or students who must cross hazardous routes to get to school. The governor’s proposed budget for FY12 calls for a 49.6 percent cut to the amount requested by the Illinois State Board of Education for public school and vocational school transportation.

“In talking to superintendents from across the state, the potential consequences include reduction in classroom staff, hardships for parents and creating more dangerous situations for students,” said Clark, noting that elimination of some bus routes is one of the cost-cutting strategies many districts would have to implement in order to fulfill the state transportation mandate.

Consequences of reducing the number of bus routes could include:

· Round-trip rides of up to three hours in some rural areas;

· Safety hazards associated with more traffic congestion as more parents would end up driving their children to school;

· Hardships for families whose schedules do not allow for them to drive their children to school even if they deem the bus rides to be too long or conditions on the buses to be unsafe;

· Reduction or elimination of transportation for educational field trips and/or extracurricular activities; and

· Elimination of summer school because transportation to summer school is not reimbursable by the state and those local funds would have to be used to help fill the huge budget hole for regular school transportation.

“Considering how much families depend on public school transportation for their children, these cuts are not reasonable,” Clark said. “Factor in the increases and volatility of fuel prices, and school districts will only have two choices: either raise local taxes if they are not already taxing at their limit, or implement cuts that would negatively affect education in the classroom and could even place children in danger getting to and from school.”

TLP Gives A Mouse A Cookie . . .

Artistic Director James Beaudry and Managing Director Melissa Mattingly Parsons are pleased to announce Timber Lake Playhouse’s preseason Magic Owl production If You Give A Mouse A Cookie. The production will be a first taste of the 50th anniversary season at Timber Lake Playhouse, northwestern Illinois’ professional summer theatre, May 10-13 at 9:45am, 11:15am and 1pm.

Brandon Ford will appear as the title character in this hilarious page-to-stage adaption of the best selling children’s book of the last 25 years. Ford takes on the role of the Mouse, who quickly creates a whole world of trouble for a young boy. The Boy will be played by Brenton Abens, a Chicago actor.

Ford was a full time resident at TLP in 2008 and returns this year for TLP’s 50th anniversary season. Audiences may remember him as the leading role, Chad, in All Shook Up, Diesel in West Side Story and Franz in The Producers. Ford currently resides in Chicago and has performed in productions with Writer’s Theatre and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Recently, he starred in the world premiere play, Feet of Clay.