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Nicor files for rate increase for natural gas
John Jackson McCoy, 86, of Hampton, formerly of Port Byron, Illinois, died Saturday, January 7, 2023 at Allure of Geneseo. Services will be held at 10:00 am on Monday, January 16, 2023 at Gibson – Bode Funeral Home, Port Byron. Visitation will be from 2-5 pm on Sunday, January 15th at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Pleasant Point Cemetery. Memorials may be made Genesis Hospice or the Rock River Christian Camp.
John was born November 26, 1936 in Ottumwa, Iowa, the son of Earl Jackson and Mildred Vera (Johnson) McCoy. He married Lorretta JoAnn Boyer on February 24, 1957. John loved being a farmer. He also worked at John Deere for many years and was an over the road truck driver. He served as the Vice President of the UAW Local 79 for many years. He was on the Board of URICRA, and was a former coach. He was a member of Countryside Christian Church. He enjoyed woodworking and gardening.
John is survived by his wife, JoAnn; children, Chuck (Judy) McCoy, Rapids City, Chet McCoy, Port Byron (Tammie VanNatta), Cherrie (Craig) Seger, Oswego, IL, Chad (Peggy) McCoy, Niles, IL; grandchildren, Blaine (Keri) McCoy, Jeremiah (Rachel) McCoy, Tara (Mark) Temple, Renae Seger, Hannah McCoy, Caleb McCoy; great grandchildren, Hudson and Owen Temple and Rebecca and Joshua McCoy; and sister, Mary Lou Wollums, Ottumwa, IA. He was preceded in death by his parents, a daughter-in-law, Sue McCoy; and 5 siblings. Share a memory or condolence at www.gibsonbodefh.com.
ALAN E. BIELEMA, 62, of Fulton, IL, died Wednesday, January 4, 2023, at his home. A private graveside service will be held at Lusk Cemetery in Albany, IL. There will be no visitation. Cremation rites have been accorded. The Fulton Chapel of the Bosma-Renkes Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. A memorial has been established.
Alan was born September 6, 1960, in Clinton, IA, to Harold and Nancy (Holcomb) Bielema. He graduated from Fulton High School in 1978. In 1976, he was on the State Championship Football Team and is in the Fulton Hall of Fame. He first married Lisa Cassens and they had one son, Shane Bielema. He later married Jill Lutz-McCrea and they had two sons, Benjamin and Brigham Bielema. Al worked at 3M for 37 years. In his free time, he enjoyed gardening, especially tending to his vegetable garden, hunting and winter snow-sledding. He was an avid Chicago Bears and Fighting Illini fan.
Survivors include three sons, Shane Bielema of Dixon, IL, Ben Bielema and Brig Bielema both of Clinton, IA; one sister, Sheila (Dave) VenHuizen of Fulton, IL; one brother, Kevin Bielema of Albany, IL; two nieces, Mandy (Lance) Walker and Hannah (Michael) Watson; one nephew, Tanner (Taitum Huisenga) VenHuizen; several great nieces.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother in infancy, Terry Bielema;
JOHN J. MCCOY
Born: November 26, 1936 in Ottumwa, IA Died: January 7, 2023 in Geneseo, IL CAROL A. LEAL, 79, of Morrison, IL, passed away Friday, January 6, 2023 at CGH Medical Center in Sterling, IL Funeral services will be at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 10, 2023 immediately following the visitation at the Morrison Chapel of the Bosma-Renkes Funeral Home. The visitation will start at 11:00 a.m. Officiating the service is Rev. Peter Kicheon Ahn, Pastor at Fenton United Methodist Church. Cremation rites will be accorded following the services. A memorial has been established to the American Diabetes Association.
Carol was born January 5, 1944 in Decatur, IL, to Henry K. and Ethel M. (Turnbull) Collins. She was educated in the Litchfield, IL schools. She married Donald L. “Butch” Hamm in 1963. On August 22, 1992 she married John J. Leal in Morrison. Carol had worked at GE in Morrison for 25 years before retiring. She was a member of the GEM Club, and also a member of the Rock Falls American Legion Ladies Auxiliary. In her younger years Carol liked to spend her free time crocheting and baking; she also enjoyed bowling. During the summer months Carol and John spent their weekends at the Rock River.
Survivors include her husband, John; one daughter, Rebecca (Ray Johnson) Jamison of Clinton, IA; two sons, Rodney (Kathy) Hamm of Fulton, IL and Ray (Kristina) Hamm of Fenton, IL; three step daughters, Mary (Buck) Lowe of Rosman, NC, Tina (Joe) Taylor of Kansas City, MO and Joey (Jason) Huebbe of Davenport, IA; twenty grandchildren; sixteen great grandchildren and one on the way; several nieces and nephews; a brother, Larry (Kathy) Collins of Newton, IL; sisters-in-law Jane Espinoza, Nora Puentes, Rosemary (Bob) Mena and Julie (Jose) Herrera, all of Sterling/ Rock Falls, IL; brothers-in-law Ralph (Toni) Leal, Richard (Esther) Leal, Frank (Linda) Leal, Joseph Leal, all of Sterling/Rock Falls, IL and David Leal of Florida.
Carol was preceded in death by her mother, Ethel Sickles; her father, Henry Collins; her in-laws, Torbio and Nestoria Leal; a daughter, Robin Cain; a grandson in infancy, Derrek Boelkins; a sister, Gloria (Morry) Blasdell; four brothers-in-law, John Espinoza, Torbio Leal, Jr., Philip Leal and Tony Leal.
NEWS BRIEF
Nicor Gas takes first step toward rate hike
Nicor Gas on Jan. 3 took the first step toward a $321 million rate hike, filing for an increase from state regulators that, on average, would cost residential customers just more than $9 more on their monthly natural gas bill.
The request, filed with the Illinois Commerce Commission, comes on the heels of a $240 million rate increase Nicor implemented in late 2021.
The Naperville-based utility is the largest natural gas distribution company in Illinois, serving more than two million customers and encompassing most of suburban Chicago.
Despite its most recent hike, Nicor said the forecast that served as the basis for those rates didn’t take into account current inflation rates or costs for infrastructure improvements to be made in 2023 and 2024.
The rate increase is not expected to come into effect anytime soon.
“This is just the first step of a very lengthy review process, which generally takes around 11 months to complete, if, and when, a docketed proceeding has been initiated by the Commission,” commission officials said.
If approved as filed, the average household would experience an increase of about $9.28 a month in its annual natural gas bill, Nicor said. – Daily Herald Media Group
Born: January 5, 1944 in Decatur, IL Died: January 6, 2023 in Sterling, IL
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Shopping for Assisted Living Facilities
As people age, oftentimes their living arrangements need to be adjusted. Needs evolve as children move out or other situations arise. One of the scenarios that may come to pass as a person ages is the need for more specialized help that just isn’t possible at home. When failing physical or mental health affects one’s ability to be independent and live safety at home, moving into an assisted living facility may be the next step. The National Center for Assisted Living indicates assisted living offers the little bit of help some people need when they can no longer manage living alone. Typically these facilities provide assistance with bathing or dressing, medication management and other care, while also catering to people who may not require the around-the-clock medical care most often associated with nursing homes. Vetting is an important component of finding assisted living facilities. Family caregivers need to educate themselves about services, costs and other resources provided by assisted living facilities. AARP says assisted living facilities provide residents with a range of services that can include supervision, meals, housekeeping, laundry, and personal care. Residents usually have their own apartments or private rooms. Because they are mostly regulated at state level in the United States, there is a lot of variety among these facilities. That means family caregivers need to assess their needs and desires in a facility to find the right one that fits. Assisted living facilities offer a home-like environment, and the amenities available vary based on cost. Paying for assisted living differs from paying for nursing homes. Largely government-subsidized health programs like Medicare and Medicaid pay for nursing home care. Those who would be best serviced by assisted living may find they may not qualify for government support, nor may the facilities accept anything other than private payment or long-term care insurance to cover room and board. Other considerations in assisted living facilities are size, specialties, atmosphere, location, and the ability to transition to higher forms of care. Assisted living may fill a void currently, but it’s often not a permanent situation for all, and eventually certain residents may have to move on to skilled care facilities. Potential residents and their families should visit various assisted living facilities to get a feel for what they are like. Speak with the staff and residents, request a meal and get a sense of the environment. Apart from cost, how the home feels is one of the most important factors in shopping around for this type of residence.
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Age-based health screening guidelines
Early detection is crucial to overcoming serious illnesses. Preventive care is something parents prioritize when raising children, but it’s a crucial component of healthy living as an adult as well. Health professionals recommend various age-specific screenings and tests, and these can serve as a guideline for individuals as they navigate adulthood. The following age-specific health screening recommendations, courtesy of Beaumont Health and Columbia Doctors Primary Care, can serve as an preventive care guideline, though doctors may advise patients to get more frequent screenings depending on their medical histories.
18 TO 39 YEARS OLD
• Cholesterol: A cholesterol check should occur around age 20, then every five years until age 35. Afterward it can occur annually. • Skin screening: An annual full body screening will identify any suspicious moles or skin lesions. • Cervical cancer: Women in this age range should receive a Pap smear every three years and an annual pelvic exam. • Breast exam: Self-examination of the breasts and examination by a clinical provider should take place every year. • Testicular exam: Men should conduct self exams for testicular abnormalities. Doctors may examine the testicles during annual physicals as well. • Tdap vaccine: All adults should get the Tdap vaccine if they did not receive it as an adolescent to protect against pertussis, and then a
Td (tetanus, diphtheria) booster shot every 10 years. • HPV vaccine: The human papilloma virus vaccine is recommended if you did not receive it as an adolescent.
40 TO 64
• Zoster (Shingles) vaccine: Two doses of this vaccine will be administered between two and six months apart starting at age 50 and up. • Colorectal screening: A colonoscopy to detect any colorectal illnesses is recommended beginning at age 50. • Prostate screening: Prostate screenings begin at age 50 unless you are a high-risk individual, in which case screenings begin at age 40. • Osteoporosis: Doctors may recommend a bone density test and osteoporosis screening at age 50 and up if certain risk factors are present. • Lung cancer screening: If you are a past or current smoker, it’s wise to have an annual lung cancer screening. The American Lung
Association says adults age 55 and up can have this screening covered by health insurance. • Mammogram: Women should begin receiving annual mammograms at age 40.
65 YEARS AND OLDER
• Cervical cancer: Most women can stop getting Pap smears at this age if they have no history of cervical cancer. Women who have had a hysterectomy may no longer need pelvic exams after age 65. • Pneumococcal and pneumonia vaccines: These are recommended every five years for certain conditions and risk factors. • Cognitive health: Doctors may assess your cognitive health to see if there are any risk factors for dementias. In addition to these screenings, doctors may conduct annual depression screenings to assess mental health. Routine blood glucose monitoring may be necessary based on risk factors for diabetes. Individuals are urged to speak to their doctors to map out a health screening schedule specific to their needs. HM221613
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