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Volume 143 No. 23

Friday, May 12, 2017

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Immel looks to tighten the budget By Zachary J. Pratt news@tonicanews.com

LOSTANT — Having taken office as mayor of Lostant, Jack Immel has set his sights on reining in the village’s budget. One method which has already received serious thought is budget cutting, specifically where and how the budget can be reduced without damaging the ability of the village or its services to perform properly. Immel listed road projects, tree removal and police expenses as among the locations being looked into. Regarding the police department, Immel said the discussion focuses on “how (Lostant) can still provide a safe environment and atmosphere for our residents, but still cut back monetarily there.” Little cuts might have some effect, but Immel is looking for something a bit larger, including where the police

department is concerned. “I’m talking about some fairly drastic cuts for the police department,” he said. “We’ve had some over expenditures there.” In other budget-related news, Lostant has adopted a new tax levy, which totals to the amount of $49,153. Water and broken tiles was also on Immel’s mind. Lostant already had one tile breaking, which could lead to water issues; now another has been discovered. If all goes to plan, work on fixing these tiles should begin before too long. “I do want to get going on it, because the last time, it came up so quick,” Immel said, recounting a related incident. “I went out and checked it three times. And the last time I checked there was no water in the ditch whatsoever,” he said. Thirty minutes later, his intended path was blocked, and then the route he had already taken followed suit.

Immel thinks such an incident can be avoided. “I feel that if we get rid of it quicker, it won’t be quite so much,” he said. Immel connected this to the village’s plans regarding its new cell phone tax, saying the new funds are to be put aside for projects such as this. “I’d just like the general public to know that we’re aware of it and working on it,” Immel said. In other water-related discussion, Superintendent Sandra Malahy informed the village of the school’s upcoming roof replacement. The 1950’s drainage system currently in use directed roof water to roof drains, which channeled the water to an underground storm sewer. These drains are set to be replaced with exterior gutters and downspouts, which will take the water to the sewer. Work on replacing the roof will begin in June.

‘Mom vs. The Three Stooges’

Dead trees, inoperable vehicles, a mower Lostant tackles them all at village board meeting

Magnolia author contributes to newest ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ edition

By Zachary J. Pratt news@tonicanews.com

LOSTANT — Dead trees continue to haunt Lostant. “There are seven, eight possibly, ash trees that need to be cut down,” Lostant Trustee Mike Cooper said. The potential harm which could come from these trees includes more than just creating unsightly locations in town; they could cause damage as they fall. “One of them has fallen,” Cooper said. “Luckily there were no houses around.” A number of these trees were left over from last year’s dead tree purge. “I think some of those, last year, we didn’t think were quite dead,” Village President Jack Immel said. With an estimated number of 15 trees looked at for removal in 2016, the current number cuts that in half. The village does not plan to stop at tree removal; considerations for the replacement of the dead trees are also being made. Cooper already has some ideas regarding a variety that should work, and that should not have to face the ash borer problem. “What I’ve seen, there’s a new maple out — silver cross — grows pretty fast,” Cooper said.

By Dave Cook

news@tonicanews.com

Mowers and grass height

In related news, the village is reconsidering its proposed purchase of a new mower. Immel noted the board had first begun looking into the possibility because of a particular used mower which had been offered for sale. “Before that, we weren’t looking at that at all,” Immel said. Immel believes Lostant would be better off monetarily if it purchases a new deck for the current mower, or fixes the old mower already in use. When asked about current deck’s chances of making it through the season, Leland Decker expressed a lack of certainty. “I don’t know,” he said. “It might make it. It might not.” Also, the length of time individuals have to cut their grass is changing. The board has decided to amend the ordinance regarding grass heights. Village attorney Kyle Stephens noted the latest ordinance he could find set the time allotted to cut grass after a warning at 10 days, rather than the previously believed 14.

Lostant Page 3

Magnolia’s Monica Morris is one of the contributing authors to the new “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books, titled “Best Mom Ever!”

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MAGNOLIA — Most of us have at least one funny or inspirational story we could share about our mothers. However, most of us haven’t had one of those stories published in the newest edition of the well-known “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books. The “Best Mom Ever!” edition of the newest Chicken Soup book by Amy Newmark contains 101 stories about humorous, inspiring and loving moms. It’s also available just in time for Mother’s Day, and Magnolia’s Monica Morris is one of the contributing authors. Morris said she’s been reading the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books for as long as she can remember, but she said the one which inspired her to write for them was “Chicken Soup for the Baseball Fan’s Soul.” “I received that book for my birthday from my brother, and the combination of two of my favorite things, baseball and stories about faith, made me think that writing for the Chicken Soup series might be something I’d Tonica News photo/Dave Cook enjoy,” Morris said.

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2 • The Tonica News • Friday, May 12, 2017

Special in many ways

Seeking Sources Where in the world is The Tonica News? Are you planning a vacation or holiday trip? Don’t forget to take along a copy of the The Tonica News. Once you get to your destination, have someone snap a photo of you holding the newspaper, and then send the photo to us along with pertinent information about who is in the photo and where you are. We’ll be happy to share your photo with other Tonica News readers, your friends, family and neighbors. Email your photo and information to news@tonicanews.com. You can also drop it by our office in Tonica.

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Contact Publisher Sam Fisher sfisher@tonicanews.com Editor Terri Simon tsimon@tonicanews.com

Area 16 Special Olympics Spring Games hosted at Hall High School By Dave Cook

news@tonicanews.com

SPRING VALLEY — After days and days of gloomy wet weather which brought several inches of rain, a warm and sunny spring day arrived in time for one of the biggest sporting events in the area — the Starved Rock/ Area 16 Spring Games of the Special Olympics. Held at Hall High School in Spring Valley, more than 280 athletes and several hundred more friends, family and spectators filled the grounds on May 6. The Starved Rock/Area 16 is composed of 500 athletes from Bureau, Grundy, Henry, LaSalle, Marshall, Putnam and Stark counties. According to Area 16 Director Allison Nichols, the track and field events are the most popular of the 19 sports offered by Special Olympics Illinois. All athletes marched in the parade of athletes and recited the Special Olympics oath: “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” This was the 40th year for the Area 16 Spring Games. “This is our biggest number of athletes competing, and we’ve added new sports like the javelin throw and other longer distance races to this event. The Spring Games

is our biggest event that we host each year” Nichols said. Athletes competed in the 50-, 100-, 200-, 400-, 800- and 1,500-meter races, the standing and running long jumps; shot put; tennis and softball throw; 100-, 400- and 800meter walks; wheelchair competitions and assisted races. Athletes competed in divisions by gender and ability levels. According to Special Education teacher Wendy Louis, Putnam County High School (PCHS) brought 11 athletes, and 10 advanced to state in various events. PCHS athletes showed their “Panther Pride” by earning a medal in 28 of their 32 scheduled events and bringing home 17 gold medals, eight silver medals and three bronze medals. “Every athlete has their favorite event, but my favorite is definitely the Spring Games because I get to see so many people. It’s great when we get together on days like this because we have hundreds of local volunteers giving up their time to help. I’m so lucky to have such amazing volunteer support who will do anything to help our local program. I’m blessed to work with so many great people,” Nichols said. Nichols said participation in the Special Olympics is a great ben-

efit for both athletes and their families and the organization also has a family department and director hosting different events. Family members can speak publicly, be involved with the board, go to Capital Day in Springfield or pitch in where ever needed. “We love when our families get involved because it’s a great opportunity to meet people from the community. If you ask any of the athletes, they love coming to the events to see the friends they’ve made over the years. At state events, there are also many activities for athletes while they’re not competing. We have a healthy athlete program where athletes can see eye doctors and dentists at events, and at night we have dinners and dance parties,” she said. Hall High School encouraged the community to join their DEEDs group (Dedicated to Each and Every Devil) for “Fans in the Stands.” These students and fans rooted athletes with posters, signs and cheers as well as selling shirts at the Spring Games. Nichols encouraged people who have never been to a Special Olympics event to come and watch and also described what a first-timer can expect. “You’ll definitely leave

Tonica News photo/Dave Cook

Nearly 300 athletes competed in the Special Olympics Spring Games, held May 6. with a smile on your face and a feel-good attitude. At the Spring Games we probably have a 1,000 people here, and events will be going on continuously throughout the day. I ask everyone to just come out one time to one of our events. It’s a perfect way to spend the day,” Nichols said. Sponsors for the Special Olympics Illinois

Starved Rock/Area 16 Spring Games include the Miller Group Charitable Trust, Knights of Columbus Councils, TechniSand of Troy Grove, Mendota Optimists Club, Dr. Ketan Patel, Dynegy, Koolmasters, PCS Phosphates, Lou’s LaGrotto and Karl Schultz Insurance Agency. Awards were presented by the Illinois State Police.

Email to:

news@tonicanews.com. Photos should be sent as an attachment. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Tonica News, P.O. Box 340, Princeton, IL 61356

Chicken soup From Page 1

Morris isn’t a novice writer though; in 2007 she completed her first novel, “Rory’s Song,” and in 2008 she was asked to join 11 other writers from across the country at the “Guideposts” magazine’s bi-annual writer’s workshop in Rye, N.Y. “I’ve had several articles published in “Guideposts” magazine since that time, and I’ll be participating in another GP writer’s workshop in May,” she said. Morris said she enjoyed sharing her story in the Chicken Soup book because it gave her the opportunity to take a fond look back at some happy childhood memories.

“The title of my story is ‘Mom Versus The Three Stooges,’ and it involves four kids, a harried mom and her clever solution to her children’s fascination with these three comical and somewhat destructive guys. I can’t give away the entire story ... You’ll have to buy the book!” Morris said. She said she enjoys the Chicken Soup books because there are as many themed editions as there are stories in each book. Morris enjoys that each book contains tales which can either bring tears to your eyes or make you laugh out loud, and sometimes it’s both. “I think what I love the most about the Chicken Soup collection is each story is an intimate story written by the person who experienced it. Each story is fresh and has its own voice. It’s that quali-

ty that makes these books so special and popular. It’s an honor for me to be published in such a book,” Morris said. She said she’s enjoying writing for faith-based publications like Chicken Soup and “Guideposts” magazine because it allows her to use the creative process of telling a story to inspire as well as entertain readers “Whether I’m interviewing someone else so I can tell their story, or I’m reliving a memory of my own, whenever I sit down in front of my computer to begin a story, I feel blessed,” Morris said. For more information on the “Best Mom Ever!” edition of “Chicken Soup for the Soul” visit www. simonandschuster.com/books/Chicken-Soupfor-the-Soul-Best-Mom-Ever!/Amy-Newmark/ Chicken-Soup-for-the-Soul/9781611599541.

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Friday, May 12, 2017 • The Tonica News • 3

A Tribute to Veterans needs strong flight of volunteers On Saturday, May 20, the Illinois Valley Regional Airport in Peru will present the second annual TBM Avenger Reunion. This event, a Salute to Veterans, will feature at least 15 TBM Avengers, a magnificent aircraft. A host of other aircraft, an exciting airshow, helicopter rides, food and beverages will be available. Thanks to the generosity of Marquis Energy, the event is free to the public. More than 10,000 spectators, pilots, crews and volunteers are expected to attend. Gates open at 8 a.m.; an all-veteran photo will be taken at noon, and air activities will be ongoing until 4 p.m. Volunteers are needed! Event planners are seeking more than 250 volunteers. Volunteers are needed from

7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in four-hour shifts for help with parking, assisting veterans, distributing water, crowd control, food service and general miscellaneous duties, including set-up/clean-up activities before and after the event. A volunteer training meeting will be held on Saturday, May 13, at 10 a.m. at the Peru Airport. All volunteers will receive a commemorative event shirt. Please consider donating your time and talent to this meaningful event to honor our military veterans. For more information, and/or to register as a volunteer, contact Cary Miller at 815-830-0508. Please pass this request on to others. Your help is greatly needed and so appreciated! Our entire community will appreciate your support.

Creative idea could provide IT jobs in the Illinois Valley area Cherry native Jack Rooney has been in the IT business for more than 30 years and is president of Capitol Strategies Consulting Inc., in Springfield. The 20-year-old company’s emphasis revolves around Microsoft .Net application development (programming). “Virtually every business and government agency needs computer programs,” Rooney said. “We provide our clients with all the services needed to ensure that these programs are written correctly and on-time.” One category of IT jobs that is currently in exceptionally high demand generally revolves around the creation of complex computer programs and the deep analysis of the data which these programs create. The most widely identified and understood job type in this high-demand category is what is known as application developer or computer programmer. Generally, large- and medium-sized firms of all kinds across the country have a need for computer programmers. Cities in Illinois with medium and large firms or government agencies have hundreds of these computer programmers. Firms such as State Farm Insurance and Caterpillar actually have thousands of them, located both in the United State and overseas. Very often the demand and costs are so high, these large firms “off-shore” this work to countries such as India and China. Rooney’s vision is to bring these high-demand computer programming jobs to the Starved Rock Country area. He starting up a Capitol Strategies team in the Illinois Valley called “Starved Rock Country Programmers” to help seed this effort. Wages and benefits will be substantial.

Lostant From Page 1 The new ordinance cuts this length of time to seven days.

Inoperable vehicles Long have vehicles remained motionless in Lostant, but the village intends to make them move.

With a large number of seemingly inoperable machinery in town, the board discussed on Monday its intent to enforce an ordinance which says the vehicles must be able to move. “The vehicles I’m talking about, I don’t think they’re operable,” Immel said, noting that nothing changes, even when warnings are issued. “They’re still sitting

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surrounding towns.” Rooney, a 1981 graduate of Hall High School, and a 1985 graduate of Illinois State University, began weekly trips home five years ago to visit his mother in Cherry. This led to various bits of community volunteer work and the production of the “Up Ravioli Alley” newsletter. “Up Ravioli Alley” is what Rooney calls a “side door evangelizing tool,” promoting an “Others Oriented” and “forgiveness based” lifestyle and culture. “I love Starved Rock Country and everything back home. People in Springfield always tease me that they have never heard anyone talk as much about their hometown area and people as I do. Folks from home actually have a little accent that I always listen for. I have run into people with that accent in different parts of the state and knew right away they were from home,” he said. Rooney believes the availability of good jobs and a solid economy would be a magnet for other industries to locate here. Although Starved Rock Country is centrally located, right at the intersection of Interstate 80 and Interstate 39, with rail and water access, and only an hour and half west of Chicago, Rooney said from his experiences in Springfield the area’s presence is often unknown. “Starved Rock Country is a bit of a secret,” said Rooney. “I think we have a great opportunity to take advantage of that.” Rooney can be contacted at Jack@ Cap-Strategies.com, or by calling 217-652-1645. His website is www. capstratconsulting.com. He is hoping those who see this press release will forward it to business contacts and Starved Rock Country alumni in other parts of the country.

“It must be said that only a very small percentage of the population has the natural ability and desire to be a full time programmer,” Rooney said. “Nearly all our work we perform currently is done by highly-experienced and trained programmers. We have already made contact with some experienced programmers, originally from this area and living elsewhere, who are ready to move home as soon as the project is up and running. “In the longer run, if all goes well, we will be able to bring on local entry level programmers and give them the experience they need to move up. A beyond-perfect idea would be to eventually have a true programming curriculum at IVCC,” he said. The beauty of Rooney’s Starved Rock Country Programmers idea is clients could come from all over the country. Much of computer programming work can be done remotely. “If all goes well, we could deliver some of the work for our current Springfield/Central Illinois clients here at the Starved Rock Country office,” Rooney said. “A much larger source of work could of course hopefully come from the Chicagoland area just an hour and half away.” Rooney is diligently working to secure contracts and revenues. “The best scenario would be if Starved Rock Country alumni who are in business in other parts of the country would look for opportunities to steer computer programming work to us here back home,” Rooney continued, believing people who have left the area still hold a warm spot in their hearts for home. “I think people from here love the unique culture, people and history of the Starved Rock Country area including LaSalle/Peru, Mendota, Ottawa, Princeton and other

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there, and nothing’s happened.” The vehicles in question have sat in place for longer than one might expect: “It might be 10 years, some of these vehicles, I don’t think they’ve moved,” Dave Mertes said. “We’ve talked to people now, and they don’t do anything,” Immel said. Immel said he thinks peo-

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ple just don’t believe anything will come of the warnings, since the vehicles have been sitting there so long with no repercussions. Stephens explained residents do not have to move the vehicles a certain number of times within a particular time frame, but that they do have to be able to show they are operable if asked. Furthermore, Stephens

Sandy Creek Lane hosts open house WENONA — Sandy Creek Lane sow farm in Marshall County welcomed the community to an open house on April 26. The farm, which consists of three barns, sits on five acres of land northwest of Wenona and will be home to 5,600 sows. Once the farm is in full swing, it will provide for 21 full-time employees. The Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA), along with the Illinois Livestock Development Group (ILDG), helped coordinate the event, which included free pork chop sandwiches for visitors. More than 500 guests attended the event and toured the farm. Employees of VMC Management set up 10 stations throughout the farm to explain each location in the barn and provide a thorough tour. Signs at each stop gave pictures to help visualize what it will look like with pigs inside. The tour took place before pigs are in the barns, to allow ample time for a deep clean before they arrive next month. Construction of the farm was an effort from more than 40 different businesses and gave jobs to more than 200 people. Materials used in the building process totaled 9,000 yards of concrete, 93,985 lineal feet of steel, 654,353 board feet of lumber, and over 15,000 ton of rock from two local quarries. Sandy Creek Lane will contribute more than $2 million to the local economy by supporting other local businesses, providing a market for local commodities, and providing increased tax revenue to the county and local school district. Around 17 million pounds of feed will be consumed per year, which is greater than $1,000,000 of locally grown and harvested corn and soybeans. This sow farm has many innovative technologies to increase security and comfort for the pigs. For instance, manure produced by the pigs is collected and controlled under the pig barns in 8- to 10-foot deep concrete pits. In using precision ag technology, manure is incorporated directly under the soil in the spring and fall.

Tonica Volunteer Fire Department

April activity report The Tonica Volunteer Fire Department (TVFD) handled 13 emergency calls during April. There were no fires or accidents, 12 ambulance calls, and one call to assist with road closures caused by flooding. Year-to-date through April 30, the TVFD has responded to 50 emergency calls. EMS training covered the expanded scope of practices which will be included in the revised protocols for emergency service providers. National Incident Management System introduction training was completed by Woody Olson. Five members participated in squad training covering station, truck and equipment reviews. Sixteen members and one applicant attended mutual aid training drills in Oglesby covering extension ladder raises, ladder carries and a SCBA search drill. Extrication operations involving hybrid vehicles was reviewed. A discussion was held about reprogramming the fire department radios because many area departments are changing their frequencies. Mitch Goskusky was accepted as a probationary firefighter. Three donations of $100 or more were received. A discussion continued about obtaining an outside storage unit or adding-on a small room to the fire building. The upcoming TVFD draw-down fundraiser will be held June 10. Tickets are available from any fire department member. expressed his understanding that each vehicle, being its own violation of ordinance, could be fined separately; the extent would ultimately depend on what a judge decides to uphold. The issue is of elevated importance because it impacts how prospective residents and businesses view the town. “The first thing they say is,

‘Why do you have so many cars sitting around?’” Immel said. Immel said he does not want to cause financial difficulty to anybody by cracking down on inoperable vehicles, but the work has to be done. “My goal is not to be fining people,” he said. “My goal is to get the things moving.”

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4 • The Tonica News • Friday, May 12, 2017

The Editorial Page The Tonica News Sam R Fisher

Terri Simon

Publisher

Editor

Thank you, Ted As I began the drive home which was going to include a quick stop at the grocery store, my mind was busy with the familiar routine of prioritizing the ever-growing Dave Cook list of household COMMENTARY needs with the ever-shrinking bank account. Frustrated, I was trying to plan how to best spend what I had remaining for the week. However, as I slowed to turn into the grocery store parking lot, there was a sight which put my frustration into a better perspective. That day, like many of them recently, was chilly, damp and dreary. Those adjectives could also be used to describe the man standing on the opposite corner. He appeared beaten down, dirty and depressed. His head and long straggly beard hung low, while the sign he held said he was stranded and needed help. I’ve lived in large cities where there are people asking for help on every corner of every intersection. There are simply too many to attempt to help, and there’s also often the risk of a con or danger in that sort of interaction. But, it’s an unusual sight here in Princeton, and maybe that’s why the sight of him struck a chord. Maybe it was seeing his furry little traveling companion curled up on his backpack which laid on the wet grass. Whatever it was, it pulled me out of my world and into his cold and desperate journey, a realization my struggles are much more desirable than those of many others. I didn’t know how to help, but I figured the guy was probably cold and hungry. I wandered the aisles for a few minutes before deciding to get him a bowl of hot soup from the deli. I didn’t want him to have to share with his little friend, so I also went down the pet aisle to grab a few small packs of dog food. It wasn’t much, but I figured it may help them hold on until they were able to continue their journey. I left the store and pulled into the parking lot across the street. As he saw me approaching he walked toward me. His demeanor was true, and there was no doubt in my mind he needed help. I introduced myself and stuck my hand out. He seemed surprised, but quickly shook my hand and quietly introduced himself as Ted. I didn’t want to ask invasive questions but wanted to see if I could offer more help. He pointed to a car in the distance and said he’d ran out of money on the way home to Tennessee. His little dog watched alertly but never left the backpack. I offered him the small grocery bag and told him what was inside. After thanking me and wishing me well, I did the same. As I got back into my safe, warm vehicle before heading back to my safe, warm home, I looked back at Ted. He was squatting down behind his sign which offered minimal protection from the chilled wind. I couldn’t see what was happening but knew he and his best friend were beginning to eat some much-needed food. I was going home to eat, and during the drive I wondered if he would still be standing on the corner the following day. I never saw Ted and his little dog again. I like to think someone else stopped to help and he was able to make his way back home. Wherever you are, Ted, I hope both of you are someplace safe, warm and familiar. While I hope I’m never in his situation, I think Ted helped me as much as I helped him. We all have dayto-day struggles, and some days are better than others. He helped remind me there will always be those with greater struggles in life, and even if unable to offer much, there are still plenty of opportunities for us to help each other when we can. Tonica News Staff Writer Dave Cook can be reached at dcook@bcrnews.com

First Amendment “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” Constitution of the United States, 1789

Planting the seed My first attempt at a garden was disastrous. I was a kid, and I didn’t know what I was doing. I grabbed a handful of old pumpkin seeds, nudged up some dirt near my parent’s house and threw them down. I stomped them into the dirt, and naively thought I had successfully planted my first garden. I didn’t know how deep I should plant the seeds, whether pumpkins needed shade or sun, how much water they required or even how much space it took to grow them. I just thought pumpkins would be a neat thing to grow, so I tried to wing it. I didn’t realize that growing produce was a lot harder than it looked. As you can imagine, it didn’t work out so well. The pumpkins that sprouted that fall were misshapen, small and altogether unhealthy looking. I didn’t know it at the time, but it would be a long time before I attempted another garden. It was decades later, when my son brought home a giant cabbage plant from school, that I finally toyed with the idea of planting another garden. I could only see the positives to it – the food would be fresher, tastier and cheaper than anything I would get in the stores. And now that I was an adult, I was sure to be a lot better at the research I needed to do to have a thriving garden. So I enlisted my husband’s help and asked him to build four long raised gardening beds in our backyard for my vegetables. That way I wouldn’t end up with an aching back when I needed to weed them. It’s been about three years now since we first planted that garden,

Shannon Serpette COMMENTARY and I couldn’t be happier with the results. There have been a few mishaps along the way, such as when I was running out of room in one bed, so I didn’t space out the carrot seeds. I figured they would still be OK, and then I realized they weren’t growing much of anything underground. That’s when my kids and I learned to take spacing requirements seriously. My kids were fascinated the first year we grew anything. They had so much fun picking vegetables that they kept picking things even when they didn’t want to eat them. My kids and I aren’t the only ones enjoying our little backyard garden. It has become really popular with their friends too. Some of their friends have told us they have never picked their own vegetables before. I suppose that’s a sign of the times, but I find that truly sad. I remember the vegetable gardens my dad used to grow when I was a kid. They weren’t anything big, just a small plot of land behind our house. But I used to love eating the vegetables that we could gather up just by taking a quick walk to the backyard. I wanted that same experience for my kids, although it took that school project to bring those longago memories flooding back to me. Unless they grow up on a farm, kids are often so removed from the food-growing process these days that I don’t think they realize how

much work it is to grow your own food. They don’t get to experience the wonder of planting something so small and watching it sprout through the ground just days later. That’s why when my kids’ friends come over; they are always welcome to pick and eat whatever they want from our garden. I want them to experience a little bit of that amazement. Every time a kid comes over and I point to a carrot and ask them to pull on that green stem without telling them what’s underneath, I love hearing/seeing their surprise when they realize they’ve just unearthed a carrot. Without fail, it makes them laugh, and they immediately want to pick more. But I love having our garden for a deeper reason than just the fun it gives my kids. Many of us live in a world of instant gratification. We get everything we want almost as soon as we realize we want it. I don’t want my kids taking their food sources for granted, or worse yet, not know how to garden someday when they may really need it. If you have a child or a grandchild in your life, consider planting a small garden this year. It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant. If you don’t want to do the heavy lifting a full-fledged garden requires, just get a few containers to put in your backyard or patio. A couple of plants will be enough to spark their interest. Someday, they may look back at that little garden as fondly as I do my dad’s. You might not just be growing produce, you may be planting memories. Shannon Serpette is a freelance writer and a mom of two who lives in Henry. She can be reached at writerslifeforme@gmail.com.

Guest commentary

Long’s first 100 days in office Editor’s note: The following commentary exceeds the BCR’s 500-word limit for a Letter to the Editor, therefore, the BCR will extend the same opportunity to someone with an opposing view. Contact BCR Editor Terri Simon at 815-875-4461, ext. 6330, before submitting. To the Editor, When I was elected on Nov. 8, 2016, I knew I was walking into a political hotbed, but I didn’t fully realize how bad things actually were until I stepped foot in Springfield. The problems facing our state have been decades in the making. For example, Illinois’ pension liability represents 10 percent of the entire nation’s pension debt; the overall tax burden for families and businesses is the fifth highest in the nation; and we have the 48th worst business climate in the country. These statistics aren’t the result of the last two or three years. They are the direct result of years upon years of failed policies and false promises. It’s important to know Michael Madigan and the Democrats have long been in control of the General Assembly and currently have a majority in the House and a supermajority in the Senate. Due to these majorities, the Democrats have complete control of the legislative process. In the House, the majority party alone decides which bills are allowed to move through the legislative process through the powerful Rules Committee. And after that, it is up to the sole discretion of the speaker as to which bills are allowed to be called for a vote and when. I have seen this first hand with some of my bills. The majority party didn’t like them, so they refused to call them for a vote. But don’t just take my word on it, last week, the House passed 179 pieces of legislation. Of those, 133 bills were Democrat bills and only 46 were Republican bills. This concentration of power in the legislature leads to a much larger problem facing Illinois though, and that’s the budget stalemate. A balanced budget is required in the state of Illinois by our constitution, and there are a number of steps that must be completed in order to make this happen. First, the legislature is required by law to pass a revenue estimate. Then the governor and the governor’s office of management and budget (GOMB) present their budgets. The next step is for Senate and House Appropria-

tions Committees to meet, hear testimony from state agencies, and determine the funding levels for those agencies based on the previously approved revenue estimate. Finally, the budget bills are filed, receive votes and move on to the governor’s desk to be signed. If it’s really that simple, what’s the hold up? The fact is, the majority party in the legislature has failed to complete Step 1. As a reminder, the Illinois Constitution states in Article VIII, Section 2, Paragraph B: “The General Assembly by law shall make appropriations for all expenditures of public funds by the state. Appropriations for a fiscal year shall not exceed funds estimated by the General Assembly to be available during that year.” So instead of focusing on Step 1, the majority party has decided to focus on passing bills totaling $295 million last week alone without identifying how we’re going to pay for it. This has to stop. My Republican colleagues and I stand ready and willing to negotiate on a balanced budget that will lead to economic growth in all corners of the state. But we can’t negotiate alone. In a divided government we all have to come together and compromise for the people we represent. I remain optimistic about our future because I believe the people of the 76th District, as well as the people of Illinois, know that we can’t keep doing the same thing time and time again while expecting different results. Reckless spending plans, insurmountable debt, and other burdensome legislation have been the norm for too long. I will continue to push to grow our economy and make Illinois a friendly state to do business in, so that we can bring good-paying jobs back to our hard-working families. For all the people I have come to know, and the ones that have expressed concerns about the future of our state, I can’t think of a better place to be able to help than fighting for them in Springfield. The opportunity to turn our state around and bring the certainty that families, businesses and future generations deserve is upon us. I hope that my colleagues recognize this opportunity and join me in making Illinois a national leader again and a state for which we can all be proud. Illinois State Rep. Jerry Long, 76th District Streator

Friday, May 12, 2017 • The Tonica News • 5

Community Birth Announcement Przybylski Darcy Donaldson and Cody Przybylski are the parents of a son born April 28 at Illinois Valley Community Hospital in Peru.

‘Director Showcase’ set for May 15 at IVCC OGLESBY — Illinois Valley Community College’s student directors and their casts will present their work at “Director Showcase” at 7 p.m. Monday, May 15, in the Cultural Centre. The event is free and the public is welcome to attend. Students enrolled in “Directing for the Theatre,” taught by instructor Don Grant Zellmer, each picked a 20-30 minute one-act play to direct with an open call for auditions so the student directors could cast their shows. As they met to rehearse,

Zellmer observed and met with them for discussion. The class is made up of community members and students Ashley Hurst and Matt Boehm of Peru, Chad Brokaw of Princeton and Karen Lesman of LaSalle. “This course is a relatively new addition to the theatre department with the first offering just this past fall. It gives our students firsthand experience as a director of a production. It’s a great experience for them and a significant enhancement to our theatre program,” said Zellmer.

Prairie State Legal Board will meet OTTAWA — The board of directors of Prairie State Legal Services Inc. will meet at noon Friday, May 19, at the Hampton Inn in Ottawa. The meeting is open to the public. Prairie State Legal Services Inc. provides representation to low-income and elderly individuals and families in 36 counties in Northern and Central Illinois. To be eligible for free services, clients must meet certain guidelines.

Prairie State Legal Services Inc. offices are located in Bloomington, St. Charles, Joliet, Kankakee, McHenry, Ottawa, Peoria, Rockford, Rock Island, Waukegan, Wheaton and Galesburg. Prairie State Legal Services Inc. receives funding from the Legal Services Corporation, Area Agencies on Aging, United Ways, The Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois and other sources.

Streator Elks Lodge will sponsor a free assessment clinic STREATOR — The Streator Elks 591 Lodge, in cooperation with the Illinois Elks Children’s Care Corporation, will sponsor a free children’s orthopedic assessment clinic on Monday, June 5. The clinic is from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and is by appointment only. To make an appointment, call the Illinois Elks Children’s Care office at 800272-0074 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. There are no charges for any services at this clinic. The Elks will hold the clinic at Streator Elks

Lodge 591, located at 202 N. Park St. in Streator. No medical referral is necessary for the clinic, but physicians are welcome to refer patients to the clinic for a specific reason or second opinion. School nurses are welcome to refer children and families to the clinic. The Elks Organization has been working with physically-challenged children since 1928, and this is one of the 16 clinic locations throughout Illinois. The clinic is an ideal time to have a child reviewed for bone and joint development.

LaSalle County Stockman’s Association will award two $1,000 scholarships

OGLESBY — IV Leader, the student newspaper at Illinois Valley Community College, was awarded the Mike Foster Award for General Excellence, the highest award presented, at the Illinois Community College Journalism Association annual spring conference. ICCJA judges commented, “Solid campus news on covers and plenty of news throughout. Excellent use of art. Bold, newsy designs on covers. Packed with news inside. Separate sections (opinion, culture, sports, etc.) clearly marked for easy navigation by the reader. Good use of art in sports. Editing is solid. This newspaper really packs in a lot of content and packages it well. “This is really a solid campus newspaper put together well that I hope students, staff and other readers appreciate,” judges concluded. Student newspapers from across the state can earn recognition at the conference, which was held this year at Lewis and Clark College in Godfrey. Some contest categories are based on enrollment while other categories are open to all newspapers across the state. In addition to winning first place for general excellence in Division II, in the open division, the staff of the IV Leader received honorable mention in the multimedia story category for their live coverage of the IVCC basketball games and a second place for their website, available at ivleader.com. Aelsa Butler of Arlington and Maddi Loiselle of Hennepin serve as

Photo contributed

Kyle Russell of Utica (left), sisters Lindsey and Alex Bennett of Peru, Martha Hoffman of Earlville, Aelsa Butler of Arlington and Paul Butler, a part-time faculty member at Illinois Valley Community College, attend the Illinois Community College Journalism Association spring conference April 6-7 at Lewis and Clark College in Godfrey. The IV Leader, IVCC’s student newspaper, won first place in general excellence. co-editors in chief for the IV Leader. Besides the overall awards, the IV Leader staff also won 16 awards in individual categories. Awards winners, by hometown, included: Arlington — Aelsa Butler, first place in feature writing, first place in news column, third place in staff editorial and third place in page design. Earlville — Martha Hoffman, second place in headline writing. Hennepin — Maddi Loiselle, second place in arts review. Oglesby — Quinn Delvallee, first place in sports feature. Ottawa — Jessica Bursztynsky,

third place in news story. Peru — Lindsey Bennett, first place in news story; Alex Bennett, second place, editorial cartoon, open division; Akari Oya, first and second places in sports photo; and Tyler Towne, second place in sports news. Princeton — Aris Showers, third place in feature writing. Utica — Kyle Russell, first place in feature photo and third place in news photo. English/journalism professor Lori Cinotte of Spring Valley is faculty advisor of the IV Leader. The group was chaperoned by part-time faculty member Paul Butler.

Jesse White announces annual writers competition Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White announced entry forms are available for the 13th annual Illinois Emerging Writers Competition Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award. The competition is named in honor of the late Pulitzer Prize-winning Illinois Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Brooks and is co-sponsored by the Illinois Center for the Book and Kevin Stein, who succeeded Brooks as Illinois Poet Laureate. The competition is open to Illinois residents age 18 and over. Entries must be postmarked by June 30.

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Cash prizes will be awarded for first ($500), second ($300) and third place ($100). Winning poems will be submitted for possible publication in the “Ninth Letter,” “RHINO” and “Quiddity” journals

and “Poetic License Press” publications. Winners will read their poems at a ceremony later this year at the Illinois State Library in Springfield. Entry forms can be found at http://cyberdriveilli-

nois.com/departments/ library/center_for_the_ book. For more information, contact Illinois Center for the Book coordinator Bonnie Matheis at 217558-2065 or bmatheis@ ilsos.net.

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Applications should be mailed to: LaSalle County Stockman’s Association, P.O. Box 853, Streator, IL 61364. For questions, call Dave Isermann at 815-673-1151. Applications are available from local high school FFA advisors and guidance counselors, junior college ag advisors, LaSalle County 4-H club leaders and on LaSalle County Stockman’s Association Facebook page.

IV Leader earns numerous state awards

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STREATOR — The LaSalle County Stockman’s Association will be awarding two $1,000 scholarship at their 2017 Harvest Rewards Banquet on Nov. 21. This one-time scholarship will be awarded to an applicant who is a resident of LaSalle County or is a member of a LaSalle County 4-H Club, or graduated from or will be a graduate of a LaSalle County high school, and is 17-23 years of age and

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6 • The Tonica News • Friday, May 12, 2017

Menus Lostant Grade School

IVCC’s first ag open house a success OGLESBY — A total of 40 upperclassmen from several district high schools participated in Illinois Valley Community College’s first Agriculture Open House on April 6. Prospective ag students from Henry, Princeton, Putnam County, Streator, Earlville, Seneca, St. Bede Academy, Hall and LaSalle-Peru high schools heard an overview about the college’s revitalized program, toured campus and assisted with experiments and demonstrations in the program’s new lab. “The feedback was very positive and encouraging,” said Willard Mott, agriculture instructor and coordinator. Students also learned of IVCC’s new associate of applied science degree in agricultural business management. Natalie Mahler, ag instructor and FFA advisor at Earlville High School, said IVCC’s new program gives students “another opportunity for ag education close to home” and said of Mott, “He is an excellent fit. I am excited to see what he will do with the program.” Mahler speaks from experience.

Photo contributed

IVCC agriculture students Zach Hunt of Mendota and Martha Hoffman of Earville (facing left) lead a roundtable discussion with visiting high school ag prospects. She revived Earlville’s ag program four years ago starting with 16 students. She now has 65 participants in the program at the high school level plus 22 seventh-graders. Buddy Haas, a student teacher at Seneca High School who is pursuing his master’s in ag education from the University of Illinois, also commended IVCC for reinvesting in agriculture. “IVCC is in a huge ag community;

their program will become a tremendous asset for high school graduates interested in ag,” he said. A highlight of the day was the interaction between prospective students and IVCC’s current ag students, said Reed Wilson, who along with Mott coordinated the event. For information about IVCC’s program, contact Mott at 815-224-0413 or willard_mott@ivcc.edu.

Juvenile Justice Council schedules annual seminar OGLESBY — The LaSalle County Juvenile Justice Council will hold its annual Juvenile Justice Seminar from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, May 18, at the Illinois Valley Community College Cultural Centre, 815 N. Orlando Smith Road in Oglesby. The morning program will be “Children, Teens and the Effects of Domestic Violence on Our Youth” presented by the Jessica Kush of the Groundwork Program for Guardian Angel Community Services in Joliet. This workshop will provide information about the effects of domestic violence on youth and teens today. Kush will cover important information and techniques related to working with this diverse, ever changing population. Attendees will engage in discussion about trauma and its effects on youth currently receiving services with the juvenile justice system. In the afternoon, the program will be “From Dope to Hope” with Tim Ryan.

In this workshop, Ryan will share his journey, and with a few short videos, he will be getting into the depths and causes of addiction. He will go over what is working for people in our system and what is not working. He will discuss lack of treatment, sober homes, funding and why people come in and out of the system. He will delve into what staff can do to better work with people who are in addiction and that hope is just around the corner. In addition, CPASA will present its program, “Hidden in Plain Sight.” This interactive live display will be available before and during the lunch break. CPASA will lead discussion about local trends and provide information on signs of substance abuse and depression that could be found in a child’s room. Registration is $25, and student registration is $10. Registration can be made by mailing a check to Julie Rashid, P.O. Box 141, Streator, IL 61364 or by calling

815-683-8221. Checks should be made out to the Youth Service Bureau. Registration will also be available at the IVCC Cultural Centre from 8 to 8:30 a.m. on the day of the event. Lunch will not be provided. The seminar is directed toward law enforcement, school personnel, social workers, probation and detention officers and the community. The Juvenile Justice Seminar is an annual event. The LaSalle County Juvenile Justice Council is chaired by State’s Attorney Karen Donnelly. William Pfalzgraf, director of court services, chairs the training committee with members from the probation department, Juvenile Detention Home, State’s Attorney’s Office, Youth Service Bureau, Regional Office of Education, LaSalle County Health Department, North Central Behavioral Health Systems, Family Violence Prevention Council, LaSalle County CASA and the Illinois Valley Crime Prevention Commission.

–––––––– Classifieds ––––––– General Terms and Policies The Tonica News reserves the right to classify correctly, edit, reject or cancel any advertisement at any time in accordance with its policy. All ads must be checked for errors by the advertiser, on the first day of publication. We will be responsible for the first incorrect insertion, and its liabilities shall be limited to the price on one insertion. CLASSIFIED LINE AD & LEGAL DEADLINES: • Friday Paper deadline Friday before by 3pm We Accept Call 815-875-4461 classified@bcrnews.com

See It Right Here!

The Tonica News Classifieds 815-875-4461

- 200 Employment

- 400 Merchandise

232 • Business Opportunities

450 • Under $1000

********** THE CLASSIFIED Advertising Department of the Tonica News Does not have the opportunity to fully investigate the credibility of each advertiser appearing within these columns. If an offer sounds “too good to be true” it probably is. Proceed with caution if you are asked to send money or to give a credit card number. Proceed with caution in calling 900 phone numbers. All phone numbers prefixed by”900” are charged to the CALLER. Charges may be assessed on a “per minute” basis rather than a “per call” basis. The Tonica News Classifieds makes every effort to qualify these charges for the reader. If you have a concern about an advertiser, please contact: Better Business Bureau 330 North Wabash Chicago, IL 60611 312 832-0500

460 • Garage Sales

Tires: One 225-75-16 $100; One 245-70-17 $75; Two 245-60-18 $50 each. Call 815-664-223

PRINCETON 505 Park Avenue West. Thursday, May 11, 3pm-7pm; Friday, May 12, 9am-4pm; Saturday, May 13, 9am-12pm. Furniture, glassware, office supplies, women's clothes including plus size, some girls' children. Vintage LP records, back issues Royalty & Majesty magazines featuring Princess Diana, craft items, jewelry beading supplies, DMC thread, Xmas, frames, pictures, Younique makeup, a lot more quality items

Trailmobile flatbed trailer, 1966 45' long. Located in Wyanet. Price $800. Phone 815-875-1910

************ HAVE SOMETHING TO SELL?

Twin loft bed, high quality, ladder & storage, new $1,500, now $200, “as is”. Call 815-228-0348

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Heirloom tomato plants, $1 each. Call 815-878-0780 John Deere LT 130 lawn tractor. Canopy & grass catcher. 48", just serviced for the season $525 or best offer. 815-878-4270

460 • Garage Sales PRINCETON 3525 North Main (People Church). Friday, May 12, 8am-5pm; Saturday, May 13, 8am12pm. LARGE INDOOR SALE AND BAKE SALE Kids-Adult clothes, toys, housewares and more. To Benefit Youth Mission Trip

PROMOTE YOUR GARAGE SALES Call 815-875-4461

Items $1,000 or less can run FREE for 1 time. Limit of 5 lines. Up to 3 items with price and price totaling under $1,000. 1 ad per household per week. No commercial ads, firearms or animal sales. E-mail information to: classified@ bcrnews.com (include your name, address & phone number) No Phone Calls!

Breakfast May 15 — Scrambled eggs with cheese and sausage, toast, yogurt, cereal, fruit, juice, milk. May 16 — Burrito breakfast deluxe, yogurt, cereal, fruit, juice, milk. May 17 — Cereal and yogurt, fruit, juice, milk. May 18 — Bacon, egg and cheese tornado, yogurt, cereal, fruit, juice, milk. May 19 — Waffle and syrup, yogurt, cereal, fruit, juice, milk. Lunch May 15 — Hot dog on bun, baked beans, peaches, milk. May 16 — Pork roast, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, applesauce, milk. May 17 — Tortellini in meat sauce, Bosco stick, mixed vegetables, apricots, bread, milk. May 18 — Pepperoni and sausage pizza, green beans, pears, milk. May 19 — Vegetable soup, salad bar or turkey sandwich, fruit, milk.

Tonica Grade School Breakfast May 15 — Bagel and cream cheese or cereal, toast, granola, yogurt, fruit, juice, milk. May 16 — Waffle and syrup or cereal, toast, granola, yogurt, fruit, juice, milk. May 17 — Cheese omelet or cereal, toast, granola, yogurt, fruit, juice, milk. May 18 — Chef’s choice or cereal, toast, granola, yogurt, fruit, juice, milk. May 19 — Chef’s choice or cereal, toast, granola, yogurt, fruit, juice, milk. Lunch May 15 — Chef’s choice, milk. May 16 — Chef’s choice, milk. May 17 — Chef’s choice, milk. May 18 — Chef’s choice, milk. May 19 — Chef’s choice, milk.

Putnam County Community Center May 15 — BLT wrap, chips, steamed broccoli, grapes. May 16 — Barbecue pulled pork, coleslaw, peas and carrots, blueberries, chips, dessert. May 17 — Swiss steak with buttered noodles, corn, applesauce, fruit juice. May 18 — Baked chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, buttered green beans, roll and butter, banana, dessert. May 19 — Swedish meatballs, brown rice, salad with toppings, baby carrots, fruit cocktail. Bread, butter, fruit juice and 2 percent milk are available with meals. For reservations, call 800-7574579 24 hours in advance of the day’s meal. The menu is subject to change.

999 • Legal Notices

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE THIRTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT LASALLE COUNTY, ILLINOIS ESTATE OF ) BETTY L. WAGNER, ) DECEASED. ) 2017-P-79 PUBLICATION FOR CLAIMS CLAIM NOTICE Estate of BETTY L. WAGNER, Deceased. Notice is given of the death of BETTY L. WAGNER of Ottawa, Illinois. Letters of office were issued on May 2, 2017, to DONALD L. WAGNER, 1103 N. 2509th Rd., Ottawa, IL 61350, whose attorney is Gerald M. Hunter, Ltd., 129 W. Walnut Street, Oglesby, IL 61348. Claims against the estate may be filed with the office of the Circuit Clerk, Probate Division, LaSalle County Courthouse, Downtown Courthouse, Ottawa, IL 61350, or with the representative, or both, within 6 months from the date of issuance of letters, and any claim not filed within that period is barred. Copies

of a claim filed with the Clerk must be mailed or delivered to the representative and to the attorney within 10 days after it has been filed. Greg Vaccaro Clerk of the 13th Judicial Circuit Court Ottawa, Illinois Published in the Tonica News May 12, 19 and 26, 2017.

ing to this meeting, please contact Charles Schneider, Principal at

815-442-3420. Published in the Tonica News May 12, 2017.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING On May 31, 2017 at 9:00 a.m., a meeting conducted by Tonic CCSD #79 will take place at Tonica Grade School. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the district’s plans for providing special education services to students with disabilities who attend private schools and home schools within the district for the 2017 - 2018 school year. This meeting is for parents of home-schooled students who have been or may be identified with a disability that reside within the boundaries of Tonica Grade School. If you have further questions pertain-

NOTICE OF FILING OF TENTATIVE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATION FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION AND FOR PUBLIC HEARING OF HOPE TOWNSHIP AND HOPE TOWNSHIP ROAD DISTRICT, LASALLE COUNTY, ILLINOIS NOTICE is hereby given that tentative Budget and Appropriation Ordinances for HOPE TOWNSHIP and HOPE TOWNSHIP ROAD DISTRICT, in the County of LaSalle and State of Illinois, for the fiscal year beginning on April 1, 2017, and ending on March 31, 2018, will be on file and conveniently available for public inspection at the office and home of Stacie A Mertes, Township Clerk, 306 Grant Street, Lostant, Illinois, from and after the 25th day of May, 2017. NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that a public hearing on said Budget and Appropriation Ordinances will be held at 6:45 a.m. on the 26th day of June, 2017, at the Township Building, Fifth Street, Lostant, Illinois, and that final action on said Budget and Appropriation Ordinances will be taken by the Board of Trustees of said Township at its regular meeting to be held immediately following the public hearing at 7:00 a.m. on the 26th day of June, 2017, at the Township Building, Fifth Street, Lostant, Illinois. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF SAID TOWNSHIP. DATED THIS 3RD DAY OF MAY, A.D., 2017. HOPE TOWNSHIP AND HOPE TOWNSHIP ROAD DISTRICT LASALLE COUNTY, ILLINOIS STACIE A. MERTES HOPE TOWNSHIP CLERK Published in the Tonica News May 12, 2017.

Friday, May 12, 2017 • The Tonica News • 7

PROMOTE YOUR GARAGE SALES! Call 815-875-4461 ESTATE AUCTION

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r ber you Remem dchild, ran child, g ephew n niece or with a

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To place your FREE Happy 1st Birthday ad in the Bureau County Republican please send us the following: • Baby’s Name:_____________________________________ • Birth Date:________________________________________ • Salutation:________________________________________ • Contact Name_____________ Day Phone:_____________ *Picture will be returned only if a self-addressed stamped envelope is included.

One Ad Per Child Please

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8 • The Tonica News • Friday, May 12, 2017

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