More Important News

Cyrus Lodge #188 the Masonic Lodge of Mount Carroll donated $1,000.00 to the Lions Club of Mount Carroll for Playground Park Equipment to be used at the Point Rock Park in Mount Carroll. (Courtesy of Tom Cravatta)

Service Above Self

Tom Miner, Savanna Rotarian was recently awarded the Service Above Self Award. Tom is one who does not seek the limelight, but is always there when a job needs to be done. He’s a quality individual who is well respected throughout the community. Tom graduated from Hanover High School and University of Northern Illinois. Tom was in the Army Reserves from 1970-1976. He is a member of the American Legion, Moose Club, Masonic Lodge & Shrine, Presbyterian Church and on the Board of Directors for the Savanna Savings Bank. Tom is the owner of Miner Insurance Agency. Tom resides in Savanna with his wife Gloria. Adult children Tommy and Anne were present to when their father received the award. Congratulations Tom!

Hospice of the Rock River Valley was the recipient of proceeds raised from the Schreiner Golf Outing held on June 9 at Deer Valley Country Club. Golfers purchased raffle tickets, bid on auction items, and made general contributions totaling a donation to HRRV of $3,800. Receiving the check is Deb Murphy of Hospice of the Rock River Valley from Jeff Schreiner, Gail Schreiner and Gary Schreiner (l to r). (Photo courtesy of Karen Voss)

Mount Carroll Rotary Club held their annual banquet and installation of officers on June 26 at Market Street Commons. Officers for the 2012-13 year are (left) Brandt Hutchcraft, President-elect, Wayne Brooks, Treasurer, Jane Dixon, Vice-president, Ken Alexander, Secretary and Anna Gray, Past-president. For more information about Mount Carroll Rotary Club call 1-800-244-9594. (Courtesy of Anna Gray)

At the Mount Carroll Rotary Club Annual Banquet, charter member Rotarian Gene Teeter presented the Gene and Betty Teeter Mount Carroll Rotary scholarships to recipients: (left) Melisa Fitzpatrick, Breanne Field, Elizabeth Brunner, Carissa Heath, Ryan Kerr, Maria Timm, (rear, left) Patrick Fritz, Drew Kaczmarski. Shelly Larem was unable to attend and was also awarded the Teeter scholarship. (Photo by Lou Schau, Mount Carroll Rotary Club President)

IAVAT Conference

Dan Hartman and Don Mathey, Agricultural Education instructors at West Carroll High School in Savanna, IL joined more than 300 agriculture educators attending the Illinois Agriculture Teachers Annual Conference held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Champaign, IL June 19-21. The theme of the 2012 IAVAT Conference was “Reflect-Transform-Lead.”

The conference program was designed to meet the needs of secondary and post-secondary agriculture educators. The total program included general sessions, section/district meetings, business meetings, in-service sessions, and special award recognition sessions. The IAVAT is a professional organization for instructors in agriculture and affiliated with the National Association of Agriculture Educators, the Illinois Association for Career and Technical Education, and the Association for Career and Technical Education.

Carroll County Open Horse & Pony Show

By Leanne Rahn, Carroll County Program Coordinator, 4-H & Youth

An Open Horse and Pony Show, sponsored by the Carroll County Boots ‘N Spurs 4-H Equine Club, will be held Saturday, July 7, at the Carroll Co. Fairgrounds near Milledgeville. The show will be held rain or shine. Enter at the west gate. There will be a lunch stand on the grounds by “Purple Scrappers” Relay for Life Team. The show will be held at the horse arena, located at the west end of the fairgrounds. The arena was built and is sponsored by the Boots ‘N Spurs 4-H Equine Club. Registration starts at 7:30 a.m. at the arena, with the show starting at 8:30 a.m. There are 48 classes to choose from. A negative Coggins Test is required.

Class sponsorships are available to any individual, family, business, etc. that would like to be a sponsor.

For more information, for a show flyer, or if you would like to sponsor a class, contact Jessica Hartman, Linda Gengenbach, Steve Hollewell or Carroll County University of Illinois Extension Office at 815-244-9444 or e-mail Leanne Rahn at HYPERLINK “mailto:lrahn@illinois.edu” lrahn@illinois.edu.

Carroll County 4-H Dog Clinic Scheduled

By Leanne Rahn, Carroll County Program Coordinator, 4-H & Youth

All Carroll County 4-H members are invited to attend the upcoming dog training clinic on July 10. The clinic will be held at the 4-H exhibit building at the Carroll Co. Fairgrounds, Milledgeville from 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Bring your dog and his proof of vaccination to the first clinic. Also being soft treats that your dog can swallow quickly, a slip collar and a six foot leash made of leather, cloth or nylon – no flexis or chain leashes.

Come and learn what you can and cannot do in the ring while you are being judged. Learn hand placement, correct foot work and the pattern the judge will be asking you to do.

To register for the clinic or for more information contact the Carroll County Extension Office at 244-9444 or Leanne Rahn at lrahn@illinois.edu.

Carroll County 4-H Dog Judging to be Held

By Leanne Rahn, Carroll County Program Coordinator, 4-H & Youth

Saturday, July 14, at 9:00 a.m. will be the Carroll County 4-H Dog Judging Show for all county 4-H’ers enrolled in dog care and dog obedience projects. The event will be held at the 4-H Exhibit Building at the Carroll County Fairgrounds, Milledgeville.

4-H’ers with projects to be judged, need to have their projects checked in between 8:30-8:45 a.m. Please remember to bring a water bowl for your dog.

The public is welcome to attend.

For more information, contact Leanne Rahn at the Carroll County University of Illinois Extension Office at 244-9444 or lrahn@illinois.edu.

Demo Car Raffle at Carroll County Fair

By Leanne Rahn, Carroll County Program Coordinator, 4-H & Youth

During the week of the Carroll County Fair August 7-10, the Carroll County 4-H Shooting Sports Club will be will be raffling off a demolition derby car and the lucky winner will be able to drive the car in the derby on Saturday night August 11. From now until August 1, tickets will be on sale at the Carroll Co. Extension Office in Mt. Carroll and from any 4-H Shooting Sports member.

Tickets will be on sale in the 4-H Exhibit Building starting the evening of Sunday, August 5, during the 4-H pork sandwich supper. Tickets will be on sale all week with the winning name drawn Friday night. Tickets are $5.00 each or 3 for $10.00. All proceeds will go to the Carroll Co. 4-H Shooting Sports Program.

For more information contact any 4-H shooting sports member or the Carroll County Extension Office at 815-244-9444 or lrahn@illinois.edu.

Ag Olympics Event to be Held at Fair

By Leanne Rahn, Carroll County Program Coordinator, 4-H & Youth

The Carroll County 4-H Program and the Carroll County Farm Bureau Young Leaders will be hosting an “Ag Olympics ‘12” at the Carroll Co. Fair on Thursday night August 9 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. in the 4-H horse arena.

Teams will play a maximum of 6 zany games each. Games may be wet and messy, so participants are encouraged to dress for a mess! Each game will be a timed event. The top three teams in each age division will be awarded a prize.

Age divisions are 8-11 yr olds; 12-14 yr olds; 15-19 yr olds and 20 yr olds & up. Each team is made up of four individuals. The age of the oldest team member determines the team’s age division.

Registrations are due to the Farm Bureau or Carroll Co. Extension Office by July 30. Registration forms can be picked up at either office, can be found in the Carroll County fair book, 4-H fair book and on line at the county fair and Extension websites. Participation fee is $10 per team.

A new activity this year will be a mud pie making contest from 4:00 – 4:45 p.m. at the 4-H horse arena before the Ag Olympics starts. Come early and get dirty before the Olympics starts! No cost to enter. Prizes will be awarded. Even if you are not entered in the Ag Olympics, you can make a mud pie.

For more information contact the Carroll Co. Extension Office at 815-244-9444 or at lrahn@Illinois.edu.

Save Money on Your Water Bill with a Rain Barrel

As these dry summer conditions continue to brown our lawns and wither our garden plants, the need to water continues to grow. This watering can have an impact on the local water resources, as well as our wallet. Rain barrels can be an alternative solution.

The benefits of installing a rain barrel go far beyond just saving money on your water bill. A rain barrel can reduce flooding in your yard, reduce run off, provide cleaner water to your plants, and much more. So why not make your own? Rain barrels are easy and economical to make with simple supplies you can get at the hardware store.

University of Illinois Extension in Jo Daviess County will be offering a workshop on Rain Barrels on Tuesday, July 10th from 5:30-7:00 pm at the Stockton Library. The library is located at 140 W. Benton Ave. in Stockton, one block off of Main St.

In this hands-on workshop, Horticulture educator, Candice Miller, will teach you the benefits of installing a rain barrel on your property, as well as demonstrate how to make your own rain barrel. All supplies are included and participants will go home with a completed rain barrel to install in their yard!

If you are interested in this program, pre-registration is required by July 6th by going to http://web.extension.illinois.edu/jsw/ or calling (815) 858-2273. The cost for the program is $25 per person.

Creative Cooking Camp For Kids

Stir up some kitchen goodies while practicing recipes you can share with your family. Learn about nutrition while sharpening your kitchen skills. Food prepared each day will be enjoyed for snack. For kids entering 3-6 grades, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday’s July 17,18,19,24,25,26 from 1:00-3:00pm at Naaman Diehl Auditorium in Mt. Carroll.

Register your child online at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/clw/ or call 815-244-9444 for more information. Program sponsors include the Savanna Park District and University of Illinois Extension. 4-H Camp Clover Camps are open to all families in Northwest Illinois.

A Family Affair - The 60th Annual Carroll County Fair

Carroll County – This is the 60th year the annual Carroll County Fair is being held at the fairgrounds in Milledgeville, IL, and it will start and end with a bang.  As always, the fair board provides something for everyone, young and old alike. The fair books are out in the mail and are at the various banks in Carroll County.

The Carroll County Fair is getting ready for another five fun-filled days of great entertainment. The Fair kicks off on Tuesday morning, August 7th and runs through Saturday night, August 11th with the grand finale. 

The evening grandstand entertainment begins Tuesday, August 7th at 5:30 with Kickabuda Quad Racing and then @ 8:00 the action packed Lunatic Productions demolition derby.  Check www.carrollcountyinfo.org for the 2012 Demo Derby Rules. 

The entertainment continues with the Badger State Tractor Pull Wednesday, August 8th at 6:30. 

This year don’t miss the Grandstand Extravaganza featuring country artist Chris Cagle performing Thursday at 8:00, opening act for Chris Cagle is Iron Horse at 6:30.

Don’t miss the Illini State Truck Pull and “New” this year to Carroll County the Illiana Pullers Association – Mini Rods that will take over the grandstand on Friday, August 10th at 7:00. 

The fair’s five days of entertainment will end with the crowd roaring demolition derby Saturday night, August 11th at 7:00. Opening act is Destination Unknown at 5:00. 

Daily free events include the Hospitality Tent. Don’t forget Bingo is back, thanks to the Savanna Rotarians! We honor our Veterans and Active Duty service members with free admission with proper ID ALL day Thursday, August 9th, 2012!

Thank you the “patrons” and “businesses” for supporting the Carroll County Fair.  With the budget cuts from the State of Illinois we thank you for your help in keeping the Fair going for many years to come. We are proud to say for our 60th fair, you have been outstanding as always!

For more information, please visit us at www.carrollcountyfair.info.  Don’t miss the action; See you at the fair!

Ticket pre-sales

Ticket Pre-Sales will be Sat. July 7th 9am-2pm and Sat. July 28th 9am-2pm at the Carroll County Fairgrounds. Track Seating $10.00, Grandstand $5.00 – All pre-ticket sales are entered into a drawing for meet & greet passes. Schell Park ½ Mile East of Milledgeville, IL.

Corrections to watch for in the CC Fair Books

Departments B, HB, F, HF, IA, and IB should be “Online entries will be accepted through July 31, 2012.” (A, A4, and HA are correct with July 31, 2012)

Department F – Senior Lamb classes ages should be September 1, 2010 – December 31, 2011; Chart has Champion Ram and Reserve Champion Ram classes listed (all should be omitted); Market Lamb Show class numbers are in with the Junior Sheep underneath the Junior Wether Show.

M1 – Class 1606 should be pants.

PL – Double information for entry times.

Kilburg Named to Dean’s List

Upper Iowa University named Alisha Kilburg, of Sabula, IA to its 2012 Spring Dean’s List. To be honored, the undergraduate must have earned a minimum 3.50 G.P.A. for the semester while enrolled as a full-time student.

Hardacre Named to Dean’s List

Northwestern College announce that Caleb Hardacre, son of Bryan & Kristine Hardacre of Lanark, graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Education on Saturday, May 12, 2012 during ceremonies held in Maranatha Hall on Northwestern’s St. Paul campus.

Stanton Named to Dean’s List

Kevin Kraus, Luther College vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college, has announced that Connor Stanton, Luther College junior of Morrison, Ill., was named to the 2012 spring semester Dean’s List.

To be named to the dean’s list, a student must earn a semester grade point average of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale and must complete at least 12 credit hours with 10 hours of conventional grades (A, B, C, D).

Prairie Workshop Reminder for July 14

The Northwest Illinois Prairie Enthusiasts are conducting a prairie establishment workshop on Saturday, July 14. The program runs from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and will be at the Hanley Savanna prairie shelter house located at the intersection of Hanover Hill and Whitton Roads, 2 miles west of Hanover, Illinois.

Open to the backyard gardener and the landowner that wants to convert the back forty acres, the prairie workshop will share information about land preparation, seed selection, planting and maintenance of a newly established prairie. Lunch, handouts and a wagon tour of selected prairies at Hanley Savanna is also included in the program.

For more information or to register, please contact Mark Maidak at mwmaidak@gmail.com or at 815-718-0238. Registrations are encouraged by July 9 as space is limited. More information about the Northwest Illinois Prairie Enthusiasts, a non-profit organization, can be found at www.nipes.org.

Getz Family Reunion Held

The 89th Getz Reunion held at Old Mill Park was attended by 111 from Texas, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Kansas, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois.

The eldest member present was George Weber of Chadwick. The youngest present was Knox Rubio, 4 week old son of Nathan and Jessica Rubio, of Savanna.

Roger Goetz of Topeka, KS received an award for his extensive research of the Getz Family History. It was noted that a bench in memory of Jacob Getz was dedicated at Palisades State Park, where he worked until he was 90 years old. Officers for the next reunion include Leroy Getz, president; Alex Veith, vice president; Jessica Rubio, secretary; Phyllis Getz, treasurer; Hazel Getz, historian; and Lori Kyger, photographer.

Fish Kills Common in Hot Weather

The anticipated long stretch of hot, dry weather and low water levels in Illinois will set the stage for fish kills this summer in water bodies from small ponds to large backwater lakes along large rivers in the state. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is already responding to reports of summer fish kills from private pond owners and is anticipating more calls in the coming weeks.

Summer fish kills are reported almost every year and most are caused by low oxygen levels in the water. As temperatures rise and less rain falls, the water levels and oxygen levels drop in ponds, lakes, rivers and streams resulting in increased stresses on fish. Algal blooms are also typical and further deplete oxygen levels in bodies of water.

The IDNR Division of Fisheries receives thousands of calls each year from private pond owners who notice dead fish in their ponds and assume that chemicals may have somehow entered their pond. This is seldom the case. Ninety-nine (99) percent of summer fish kills are due to the natural conditions that have reduced the oxygen levels below what fish can tolerate.

“Typically, the pond owner doesn’t notice anything unusual until one July through September morning, and then fish are either belly up or are gasping for air,” said IDNR Fisheries Biologist Dan Stephenson. “The largest fish are affected first. Generally, pond owners will see the large channel catfish die first, followed by bass then bluegill, and working its way down to the smallest fish as the oxygen levels get lower and lower.”

A summer kill seldom results in 100 percent mortality of the fish in a pond, but may throw the predator-prey relationship out of balance, so future fishery management may be needed to restore that balance, Stephenson added. Local IDNR fisheries biologists can be contacted by pond owners for recommendations if they experience a summer fish kill.

Just like fish kill events in private ponds, summer kills happen in backwater lakes, rivers and streams as fish get trapped in pools that grow smaller and smaller as intense heat evaporates the water. Not much can be done to prevent the fish kill during times of persistent hot weather and lack of rainfall. Farmers and others who handle chemicals or animal manure can take precautions to prevent further impacts to surface waters and fish. They should check for discharges from chemical mixing stations and areas of livestock concentration to make sure those discharges cannot reach ponds and streams, especially in rainfall events.

Morrison Community Garden a Community Success

If you have not noticed this distinctive sign near the entrance to French Creek Park then perhaps you have also missed this season’s impressive 40 garden plots in our Morrison Community Garden. Despite the garden sharing space with well digging apparatus this summer, the garden has grown into an array of green and thriving vegetables of all types along with the blooms of many variety of flowers. The early and mid-May planting is doing very well despite the dryness of this spring and continues as we go into summer. The garden is already producing cucumbers that vine out and about neighboring blooming tomato plants, along with many rows of green beans, purple leaves of the egg plant, huge heads of cabbage, corn stalks that will be more then “knee high by the 4th of July”; and, a scattering of the decorative perennial plants such as rose bushes and cone flowers. It is a truly beautiful series of 40 well maintained and thriving garden plots. It is for those involved in this community garden a true labor of love. Our garden is a community success because of the efforts and enthusiasm of many who grow fresh and healthy food(s) in an activity that is enjoyed individually or as a part of a family. It is a fun and worthwhile activity shared by individuals of all ages in a common interest that has formed many new friendships.

The list of individuals involved in this project since the first season in 2010 is made up of a variety of volunteers that are private citizens, church leaders, organizations, and businesses. However, the energy and driving force behind the idea and development of the community garden project was Mr. Chad Haskell, Morrison Community Hospital’s Director of Communications. Mr. Haskell, with the support of the Morrison Community Hospital Foundation and community volunteers, have created a recreational and productive site that serves many in Morrison. After three years of guiding all garden activities with hard working leadership, dedication, and much personal time,Mr. Haskell has accepted a new position and will no longer be involved with the supervision of garden activities. However the continued support of the Foundation with the help of volunteers and the special efforts of Pastor Mike Selburg, First Presbyterian Church, the garden will continue to maintain all established practices that have made the garden so successful. It is and will continue to be a community garden that involves volunteers and gardeners working together to maintain the quality which has been acknowledged and recognized by surrounding communities. We have become the “Community Garden Success Story.”

This season two new valuable additions have been contributed to the garden area. Jordan McGarvey, Morrison Boy Scout Troop #96, has chosen as his Eagle Scout project to add environmental and structural improvements to the garden site. A cedar mulch border that is both thick and wide has been placed around the outside margin of the garden and mid-garden path to provide an environmental barrier for weeds into the garden and to provide more convenient access for gardeners. Jordan and members of the Troop have, also removed weeds throughout the site and helped to provide an overall beautification of the garden started early this spring.In addition, Jordan has installed a utility shed donated by the Rotary Club of Morrison for gardeners to store seasonal equipment and storage during the winter months. All projects have added much visual appeal as well as convenience for those using the garden.

Take the time to walk into and about this beautiful garden and enjoy this significant asset of Morrison. This was achieved by many working together for a variety of reasons, but for one common community goal.

-Nance Anderson

Car Show Celebrates Lake Carroll’s 40th Anniversary

In celebration of Lake Carroll’s 40th Anniversary, a CAR SHOW is being held at the Lake Carroll Clubhouse, 29-11 Ironwood Blvd, Lake Carroll, IL, on Saturday, July 28, 2012.

Registration is open to the public and will be held from 9am – 12pm the day of the event. Awards will be presented at 3pm for “Best In Show,” as well as other trophies. To register please visit www.golakecarroll.com and click on the link on the homepage or stop by the LC Admin Office Mon-Sat, 8am-4:30pm.

Even if you don’t have a car to show, you’ll want to head out to Lake Carroll to enjoy the day seeing the variety of vehicles and poking your head under a couple hoods. The CAR SHOW begins at 11am and will end after the award presentations. There will be live entertainment provided by Steve Scheffe, free spine screenings by Cornerstone Chiropractic (8am-12pm), LC 40th commemorative merchandise, LC “Bar Garden,” and the Clubhouse will provide food and beverage service both inside and out throughout the day.

Any businesses wishing to advertise via donations or if you have any questions regarding the LC CAR SHOW, please contact Chelsey Heckman at 815-493-8549 ext 10 or checkman@golakecarroll.com.

Mark your calendars to help Lake Carroll celebrate their 40th Anniversary on July 28th.

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