What a Great Sesquicentennial Event!

Lanark’s Sesquicentennial Commemorative Book Committee wishes to express their gratitude to the many organizations and individuals who made the exhibition at the Heritage Center possible. Our thanks go to the Friends of the Lanark Public Library for organizing, hosting, and providing sustenance, and to those who shared their memorabilia collections: Sue Appel, Doris and Kenny Geisz, Ron Iske, Doug and Denny Johnson, Randy Lott, Dean Lower, Jane Summers, Richard Sweitzer and Bob Zuck. We were gratified to have Lou and Mary Henson in attendance; Lou graciously autographed mementos for Illini fans. Thanks to the churches for their historical displays and to the Lake Carroll Quilters. Mike Carroll’s backdrops displayed the 150th book photos to great effect. Postmaster Diana Serby went above and beyond to make the special sesquicentennial cancellation available to all who were interested. Many people enjoyed the tours of the upstairs given by the Masons. Jim Weaver loaned his vintage truck, which was an attention-getter delivered by Eric Smith. Last, but not least, appreciation must be expressed to everyone who attended.

The Committee also wishes to commend the Prairie Advocate for its special section on Lanark’s history, its promotion of the events at the Heritage Center, and for its coverage of the committee’s activities. Thank you for your continuing support of our efforts.

If you were inspired to offer your memorabilia to be digitized and added to the Lanark Sesquicentennial Commemorative Book, you have until August 1st to contact Sue Appel (493-2337), or contact Doris Temple or Dave Shaulis at the Exchange State Bank (493-2631).

For those who are concerned because they haven’t ordered Lanark’s 150th book yet, order forms are available at the Exchange State Bank and the Lanark Public Library. Cookbooks can be purchased at both locations, as well as at the Cutting Edge, Express Lane, Farmer’s Market, Hollow Fencepost, Silver Moon Winery, Special Touch, Prairie-Advocate, and the Treasure Hunt, for as long as copies of the cookbook are available.

Once again, our deepest appreciation to everyone whose hard work made the book committee’s exhibition a tremendous success.

Lanark Sesquicentennial

Commemorative Book Committee

Bad Food

Dear Editor:

Recent World Health Org. reports of massive contamination of sprouts in Europe, which sickened thousands and killed at least 18 people, highlights our ever-worsening, Frankenstein-like food systems, world-wide. Some scientists speculated that liquid manure, used to fertilize crops, caused the near epidemic. The organic farm said it never used manure, so it might have

been the seed they bought. Some corporate farms are laying the blame on an organic farmer growing the bean sprouts-any excuse to blame organic farming.

The chemical companies keep pumping out toxic pesticides, herbicides and fungicides to spray onto our food supply. The pests mutate, become more resistant, prompting ever stronger or changed chemicals to spray onto fruits, vegetables and grains and, coincidentally, costs the farmers even more money.

Then, agribusiness gets the bright idea to genetically modify (GMO’s) crops to allow sprays to kill weeds, without killing the crop. According to researcher and Professor Emeritus from Purdeu, Dr. Huber, the herbicide Roundup is creating pathogenic organisms in soil that affect vegetative and animal life-a rare occurrence. Artificial GMO’s are now in corn, potatoes, soy, beets and -now allowed in alfalfa. Many of these are fed to livestock, our meat supply.

Government officials, bowing to the rich and powerful agribusiness companies, over objections by many, approve use of dangerous chemicals and GMO’s. Researchers that find detrimental effects from genetically modified foods are silenced by threats to cut off funding to universities, or are fired. (see the videos “Food, Inc” or “ The Future of Food”).

Chef Jamie Oliver tries to get healthy food into our schools and is blocked by administrations-has to fight tooth and nail just to get safer food into school cafeterias. What is wrong with this system?

As our grandmas once said “You are what you eat”. I believe the only thing that will change this ever growing dangerous system is the power of the enlightened consumer. I now buy locally produced meat and eggs, CSA veggies, farmer’s market fruits and Organic Valley dairy products, and suggest you do so too. “Cheap food” could mean expensive health problems. Saving a dollar on a dozen eggs could result in a $10,000 hospital bill ( see August, 2010 factory farm egg salmonella recalls).

Ray Ruthenberg

Stockton, IL

In Defense of Alternative LIfestyles

I apologize for using the Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse (NIS-3) instead of the newer NIS-4 in my June 8 letter. For some reason, the Fourth study did not come up in my Internet search (guess I should improve my Google skills).

At the time I assumed the statistics would be similar, which indeed they are.

My primary objection to Richard O’Connor’s letter is his statement that “Pat calls the results ‘bashing’ single and gay parents by religious fanatics!”

What I actually wrote was: “Bashing single and gay parents only stigmatizes their children and helps create problems for them that might never have existed. What we need to do in this country is to worry less about who corresponds to our religious viewpoints and work harder to solve the problems created by poverty and racism.”

I never used the term “religious fanatics.” O’Connor’s insistence on the advantages of being raised by two married biological parents did seem to me a reflection of his religious views, but certainly not a “fanatical” one.

Reader Bob Stretton, referring to my letter, wrote there are “lies, damned lies, and statistics.” Giving no evidence whatsoever that my statistics were incorrect he, to my puzzlement, seemed to be questioning my numbers but not Mr. O’Connor’s. His reason for writing the letter was a mystery, given that the possible distortion of statistics to fit one’s personal view was the entire point of my June 8 letter.

For example: Richard O’Connor makes a great deal of the statistic that children raised by two married parents suffer less harm, as if the biological and marital status of their parents is the prime factor in whether or not one suffers abuse. But NIS-4 lists many other factors: age differences, child’s enrollment in school, family size, metropolitan status, whether a child’s parents are employed, and socioeconomic status (SEC).

A family was considered to be of low economic status if income was below $15,000 per year, or if a parent’s highest education was less than high school, or if either parent had participated in a poverty-related program. NIS-3 did not use the last two categories. Children of low SEC were at five times the risk of suffering harm. In other words, children living in poverty are at more risk, whatever the marital status of their parents.

Mr. O’Connor also ignores the fact that poor families are more likely to be single-parent families. Income problems often result in divorce, and teenage mothers are far more likely to be impoverished. It is difficult to say that any single factor, including whether one is raised by married parents, is as significant as O’Connor is making it.

O’Connor writes, “The rates of abuse are much lower in families with two married parents no matter what their socioeconomic status. It apparently never occurred to Pat that love, commitment, stability and fidelity rather than income might explain the difference.”

On the contrary, it apparently does not occur to Mr. O’Connor that single parents, adoptive parents, step-parents and gay parents can offer love, commitment, stability and fidelity.

Pat Wemstrom

Mount Carroll

Morrison City Council Notes

July 3, 2011

Dear Editor

Morrison City Council met on June 27, 2011 at City Hall. All the seats were full. All aldermen were present along with Jim Wise, Mayor Drey, and department heads.

Jerry Stewart spoke during public comment. He was asking to have someone get the property owners of 703 W. Morris to tear the house down. It is an eyesore and dangerous with the foundation crumbling. It has sat empty for at least 10 years. Preliminary steps of contacting owner through lawyers has already been done with no results, so Jim Wise will do some checking and return with a reply in 2 weeks.

Craig Sipes discussed the property on 208 E. Lincolnway. His church purchased the property to tear it down. They were held up with progress first by the Historic Preservation Commission, then found out they had to hire a licensed contractor to remove the asbestos. He was just reporting the project would probably go on for another year since volunteers were tearing it down and they were trying to raise funds at the same time. Jim Wise suggested that the city help them out with financing ($6,500 to $8,500) to get the project done in a timely manner. I felt that would set a bad precedence the city could not afford for others (similar to 101 and 103 E. Main St).

Nancy Anderson asked what the financial commitment (responsibility) the city was making toward the Bike Trail project. Mayor Drey explained (if we can find the money in the next two years) the city would put the money up front (the city would have to cover about 20% of the total) and get reimbursed about 80% by grants when the project is done. (Or they will need approval to get portions of the grants as different steps of the project are completed.)

Discussion to amend the zoning ordinance, adopted May 22, 2006 to add Section 8.5- as A-1 Agricultural District will be taken to the Zoning and Planning Board and brought back to the council for vote.

Approval to pay bills for $148,060.43 passed. Of that amount, $8,141.31 was spent at the Sport Complex. I asked Jim Dubois for an income statement and was told that report is done at the end of the season. Gary Tresenriter gave me a detailed revenue and expense report for the city. On the Sport Complex page it showed $19,272.22 “utility tax” and $21,248.41 fees, concessions, banners, and donations for the income for May 2011. Illinois EPA received $10,000 for an IEPA payment. Gall’s was paid 435.55 for Soenksen bike patrol, police vehicle fund miscellaneous expense, and operating supplies. Baxter and Woodman collected $7,964.78 for Well #5 engineering, water tower painting, E. End Water Loop engineering, Well #4 engineering, and engineering service. The engineering bills will be continual until the East End Water Loop Project is completed since Baxter and Woodman are the project engineers.

Mike Mudge, Rock River Energy Services, will be coming to a meeting soon to explain a contract for electricity. We already contract through them for the Sport Complex and wastewater pumps. Watch for more info on this…should be interesting to see how this works and saves us money on street lighting.

Jim Wise will be applying for American Forests’ Global ReLeaf Grant which might assist us in purchasing trees for the Sport Complex. Also, he will apply to Illinois Youth Recreation Corps-2011 Grant in order to hire youth, ages 16 to 19, to work June, July, and August as youth supervisors, instructional aides, youth instructors or maintenance personnel. I hope we are successful in obtaining these grants.

Quote of the week: Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple. (Dr. Seuss)

Come to the next Morrison City Council meeting July 11, 2011 at 7:00 pm at City Hall. Find out what goes on in your city first hand….everyone is welcome. Be sure to contact your aldermen with your issues and compliments.

A Morrison Taxpayer

Marti Wood

More Thanks

The Carroll County Chapter of the American Cancer Society Relay For Life would also like to “Thank” these businesses and people for their sponsorship and in-kind donations: Driftless Area Stillroom, Flower Fan-A-See, Mary Kay by Christiene Gable, Pampered Chef by Donna Althoff, Moring Disposal, Carroll County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee, Charlie’s II, Oakville Country Club, West Carroll Middle School Custodians, River Valley Design, Country Peddler, Special Touch, Ideas & Designs, New Morning Glass, McDonald’s, Engel’s Jewelry, ACE Hardware (Savanna), Carroll County Auto Parts, Timber Lake Resort, JC Carey Motors, Kunes Country Auto, Schneider House Furniture, dabluz, Brick Street Printing, Brenner Foods, Hampton Foods, Massbach Winery, Shannon Café, Cookies by Design, Barb Hill Longenburger, Gene Koch, Doctor Sodo, Caseys General Store, Deinninger Floral, J.C. Penny Salon, Blarney Store, Mary Kay by Pauline Miller, Mary Kay by Joanne Palmer, Karen Hoffman, Randy Welp, Country Junction, Pinewood Buffet, Paul Maske, In Memory of Kevin Langley and Juliane Hook.

Thank you all for helping make the 2011 Relay For Life a success.

-Ann Zink, Publicity

Capitol Report

By Jim Sacia, State Representative, 89th District

No one gets through life without a little adversity. I have the greatest respect for those who deal with life head on. No matter what card they are dealt, they play it to the best of their ability. I don’t recall the gentleman’s name, but to paraphrase him, “life is only ten percent what happens to me and ninety percent how I react to it”. We all know people who deal with every issue in life as if it’s a crisis. We know others that seem to simply take it all in stride, yes, they play that card.

Perhaps this article is too philosophical, but please indulge me. Though my parents have gone to their final reward, I thank God each day for their guidance during my youthful days on life’s highway.

My dad, Gerald, was quite the philosopher. I remember once seeing a very debilitated young man in a wheel chair. I told my dad it wasn’t fair. He was quick to tell me that life isn’t fair but it would be up to me to make the best of every situation. His most prophetic comment, he shared with me shortly before he passed, “I’m sure not scared of dying, but I truly will miss living”. To me it reflected a great attitude.

Recently a good friend was struggling with a temperamental lawn mower and actually in tears as it wouldn’t run and the lawn wouldn’t get mowed. Certainly a crisis to my friend. In the overall scheme of things, probably no big deal. I have another friend that is significantly crippled. My friend was not dealt a fair hand. My friend has the best attitude of anyone I know.

I have the privilege of having my 100 year old mother-in-law live every third month with Jen and me. She is an inspiration. Though confined to a wheel chair, each morning when I ask her how she is doing her answer is a positive, “I’m doing better than I was yesterday”. There is little doubt in my mind that her long life, in a large part, is due to a great attitude.

My point of course is a positive attitude, no matter what the adversity, is a tremendous attribute. Some find it easily in spite of overwhelming odds, others come apart at the seams because the lawn mower breaks.

The loss of my campaign office in Freeport could be considered an adversity. Two days before the loss a good friend was going to move in to the second floor furnished apartment. No one was hurt. Bricks and mortar can be replaced.

Life’s highway has its potholes. Don’t let them ruin the trip.

As always, you can reach me, Sally or Barb at or e-mail us at . You can also visit my website at www.jimsacia.com. It’s always a pleasure to hear from you.