VOLUME 147, NUMBER 28
ONE DOLLAR, 25 CENTS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2025
Summertime means fair time q LaSalle Co. 4-H Show & Junior Fair set for July 10-13
OTTAWA – Join the fun at the LaSalle County 4-H Show and Junior Fair July 10-13 at the LaSalle County Fairgrounds on the south side of Ottawa. 4-H members are busy completing projects and cleaning up the fairgrounds in preparation for putting on a great exhibit show. This year’s 4-H Show will represent the 4-Hers’ year-round projects, service learning, and community activities the 4-H members participate in. Come on out to the LaSalle County Fairgrounds to experience 4-H. Stay to enjoy the night events too. This year, many new events and activities can be enjoyed. Thursday, July 10 - Exhibition and judging start on non-livestock projects. This includes everything from aerospace to zucchini. There are also visual arts exhibitions, natural resources, interior design, food science, cake decorating, and more.
The T & A Bucking Bulls Rodeo featuring Rugged Cross Cattle Co. Rodeo will be one of the highlights of the LaSalle County 4-H Show & Junior Fair.
The Dog Show, a Style Revue, and a 4-H SWAG Show will also occur on Thursday. The night event will welcome the Illini State Pullers Truck and Tractor Pull. Friday, July 11 - The Swine, Poultry, and Dairy shows begin in the morning. Following the Dairy Show, the Goat venue will begin. The public presentation speaking contest will be held at 2 p.m. in Exhibit Hall 3.
Included with this presentation is a “Share Your Talent” impromptu show. Youth will be on stage to entertain and share their creative talents. The T &ABucking Bulls Rodeo featuring Rugged Cross Cattle Co. Rodeo will open the Mutton Busting event at 6 p.m. and close the evening events with a 7 p.m. rodeo. Saturday, July 12 - The Horse, Rabbit, and Beef Showmanship contest opens
in the morning with the beef show following. Many fun activities and events will be taking place throughout the day: Funny Magic Guy, Rob Thompson, will provide three shows throughout the afternoon. 4-H pop-up activities and some good old-fashioned contests will occur between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. The evening will offer a Fair Auction at 4:30 p.m. in the show arena, with numerous items for bidding and proceeds benefiting LaSalle County 4-H programming. Evening entertainment will be the Ramer Race Promotions Demolition Derby at 7 p.m. Sunday, July 13 - The Horse and Sheep shows begin at 8 a.m. The Master Showmanship contest begins at approximately 10:30 a.m. in the Show Arena. As a special closing ceremony, graduating 4-H age youth and Cloverbuds are recognized, in addition to special recognition announcements. Fairgoers
and 4-H youth will meet in building 3 in the afternoon to congratulate all exhibitors and honor graduates. The projects are released at the fair’s close at approximately 4 p.m. Bring the family and come on out to see the fabulous projects young people from all over the county have completed, see all the animals, enjoy good food, and have a great time at the 4-H Show and Junior Fair. For more information, contact the University of Illinois – LaSalle County Extension at 815-433-0707. If you need an accommodation in order to participate, please contact Toni Pienta, at fusinatt@illinois.edu. or 815433-0707. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs. For information regarding gate fees and night events, call the LaSalle County Junior Fair Association at 815-200-3913.
Historical Society hosting Quilts of Valor program MENDOTA – The Mendota Historical Society is pleased to announce a very special program that takes place in July. On Saturday, July 12 at 1 p.m., the Historical Society will welcome Terry Johnson, from Quilts of Valor. Johnson will be discussing her group’s mission to craft hand-made quilts for American veterans. Everyone is invited to come out and hear about this truly outstanding initiative. This talk will take place at 907 Washington St. in Mendota. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased on the Society’s website, mendotamuseums.org or by calling 815.539.3373.
Creative cooks being sought for Sweet Corn Festival Food Contest
MENDOTA – It is time to get out your favorite sweet corn recipes. The very popular Sweet Corn Festival Food Contest, sponsored by Nightingales Thrift Shop of Mendota, will take place Saturday, Aug. 9 of Sweet Corn Festival Weekend. The Mendota Area Chamber of Commerce is looking for some creative cooks to serve up special dishes using sweet corn as the main ingredient. Chairperson of the Food Contest is Audrey Becker-Moreno and preparations have begun for this
special event. “There will be a Grand Prize Winner chosen by the judges,” announced Becker. “Prizes will also be awarded for Queen’s Choice, Grand Marshal’s Choice, Most Creative and Best Presentation. • Contestants must prepare the food ahead of time. • All categories are open to all types of food dishes, as long as the main ingredient is sweet corn. • Multiple entries from one contestant will be accepted, but only one award per
contestant. • All entries must be taken to the Mendota Elks Lodge, 707 Indiana Ave., Mendota. They can be dropped off between 1:15 and 1:45 p.m. Judging starts promptly at 2 p.m. • All entries must bring a recipe card for the judges. • There are no entry fees to participate in the SCF Food Contest. • Times may vary due to the number of participants. The Grand Prize Winner will receive
$250 in Mendota Gift Certificates, which can be used for services or merchandise in over 50 Mendota businesses. The other awards will be $50 Mendota Gift Certificates. Applications for the SCF Food Contest are available at the Mendota Chamber Office, and at www.sweetcornfest.com website or by calling (815) 539-6507. Nightengales Thrift Shop of Mendota and the Mendota Chamber ask all creative cooks to come forward and prepare some fantastic dishes for this year’s event.
State ends fiscal year with record revenue q The attention now turns to volatile Fiscal Year ‘26 forecast as uncertainty continues
By BEN SZALINSKI Capitol News Illinois
SPRINGFIELD – Despite uncertainty over the economy and federal funding during the second half of fiscal year 2025, the year closed on June 30 with the state setting a new record for annual revenue. Numbers compiled by the independent Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability show FY25 concluded with $54 billion in revenue, the most the state has ever received in a fiscal year. The state also brought in $717 million more in revenue than lawmakers originally budgeted for when they passed a $53.3 billion budget in May 2024. All told, the final revenue numbers track closely with projections made in May by both COGFA and the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget that formed the basis of the FY26 budget. In other words, June revenues produced no surprises, and lawmakers aren’t sitting on any substantial surplus as the new fiscal year begins. The record revenues also don’t alleviate any uncertainty for the current or future fiscal
years as Congress considers drastic reductions to the social safety net and aid to states. Causes of revenue growth
Strong personal income tax growth drove the revenue increase in FY25, largely thanks to a “true up” conducted by the Department of Revenue that reallocated business related income tax revenue into the personal income tax category. Personal income tax revenue was 10% higher than in FY24, but corporate income taxes declined by 9.5%. Some other revenue sources also saw minimal growth. Sales tax revenue grew by less than 1%, though COGFAnoted it increased by nearly 3% in the second half of FY25 after a weak start last summer as gas prices dropped and people cut back on large purchases amid growing economic uncertainty. Federal income was also down 4.6% in FY25, even when excluding one-time pandemic relief funds the state received in FY24. But in a bright spot for the state, COGFA found that state revenue sources grew more than anticipated to offset the $178 million decline in federal revenue. Despite solid revenue growth this year,
questions remain about how well it will perform in FY26. “Whether this record will be surpassed in FY 2026 remains to be seen, though the FY 2026 enacted budget assumes revenues of $55.297 billion – nearly $1.3 billion above the FY 2025 final total,” COGFA Revenue Manger Eric Noggle wrote. Bills paid and money left over
The state also ended the fiscal year with $1.9 billion of cash in the General Revenue
Fund after all bills were paid, according to the Comptroller Susana Mendoza’s office. “We work hard each year to pay bills on time, build up the state’s emergency reserves and stress fiscal discipline, even in these uncertain times,” Mendoza said in a statement. “My office will strive for continued improvement in state finances and credit ratings in the new budget year.” Mendoza’s office also put $256 million into the “rainy day” fund, growing it to a balance of $2.5 billion. The fund is expected to grow at a slower rate in FY26, however, as lawmakers suspended a monthly transfer that will free up $45 million. With an extra cash balance to start the new fiscal year, Mendoza said she plans to prepay monthly pension payments for FY26. Lawmakers gave the comptroller authority last year to make pension payments earlier in the year rather than on a monthly basis when extra money is available. “This will enable the systems to plan accordingly and keep additional dollars in their investment portfolios into the new budget year,” Mendoza said.
Index Local News...................................................
Sports...........................................................
Pages A2,A3,A5,A7
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Obituaries.....................................................
Entertainment...............................................
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Opinion.........................................................
Church Page.................................................
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The Back Page.............................................
Classifieds/Legals.........................................
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The Fortune Phrase...................................... Page B1
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