TON-04-03-2015

Volume 141 No. 17

Friday, April 3, 2015

Single Copy Cost 50¢

State school funding late

By Ken Schroeder news@tonicanews.com

The Illinois State Board of Education said Illinois school district finances continue to show the strain of decreased funding from federal, state and local resources. Districts projected to deficit spend this school year have increased by 64.2; a total of 550 out of the 857 Illinois school districts.

“Our Financial Profile data shows that while our schools continue to cut costs and stretch shrinking financial resources, many still must borrow or dip into their reserves in order to stay in the black,” said State Superintendent of Education Christopher A. Koch.

The Illinois State Board of Education has recently asked for an additional

$729.9 million in education funding from the current year to fully fund General State Aid. Tonica Grade School is feeling the pinch, and it appears it’s going to be worse for the next school year. At its March school board meeting, a lengthy discussion was held about the fate of the school’s preschool program, which lost more than $37,000 during the last school year.

Despite the deficit spending on the prekindergarten program, School Superintendent John Suarez said there was still a possibility the school would operate in the black for this season, although he said that is despite the state funding tardiness.

“In general state aid, they’re spot on, but the state is always behind on

Funding Page 2

Music in the wind Native American flutist plays at TUMC

By Ken Schroeder news@tonicanews.com

TONICA — People attending Tonica United Methodist Church Sunday, March 22, were treated to music normally not found in traditional houses of worship. Nationally-known Native American flute artist Jonny Lipford stopped in to play for worship services as he passed through from a tour date in Chicago, which might seem like an odd stop for a touring musician.

Church members can thank the Rev. Mark Nowakowski, church pastor, for Lipford’s presence, since the two are friends who met through their mutual interest in music.

“One child of a lady in one of my congregations is very connected in the music industry, and she began to introduce me to not only some pretty big names, but I also had the opportunity to play with them,” Nowakowski said.

“She introduced me to some folks in the Native American community, particularly the instrumentalists. One thing leads to another to another and to another. I was looking for some Native American flute and maybe some opportunities to play because I play myself.

I found him, and I absolutely fell in love with him.

He’s a really good musician.”

Lipford is not a Native American, but he was drawn to the music when he was 13 while he was watching cartoons.

“I found the flute about 13 years ago when I was watching a cartoon,” Lipford said. “I was flipping through cartoon channels, finding this character playing a brown flute. Later, I realized it was the South American pan flute that I was hearing, but it was portrayed as an end-blown flute. Then I came across a video of a guy playing a

TUMC Page 2

Shaw Media Service photo/Mike Vaughn

Easter blessings ...

The Easter holiday, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is Sunday, April 5. Churches in the area will hold celebrations, which include special services, brunches and more. In conjunction with the religious aspect of Easter, additional customs include Easter egg hunts, the Easter Bunny and the Easter lily, a symbol of resurrection, which traditionally decorates the chancel area of churches on this day. The Tonica News wishes you a Happy Easter.

April begins tornado season in Illinois

By Ken Schroeder news@tonicanews.com

April is here, and that means warmer temperatures and light showers.

It also means tornadoes in Illinois. Of the average 54 tornadoes Illinois receives in a year, 13 of them usually make their appearance in April,

according to the National Weather Service. Historically, only May breeds more twisters (an average of 16 per year) in the Land of Lincoln.

More tornadoes also means more severe thunderstorms with winds and hail that can also cause damage and injuries to the unwary. According to Victor Gensini, assistant

professor of meteorology at the College of DuPage, this spring is going to be active.

“Usually by now, we’ve had a dozen or so tornado advisories. So far this year, we’ve had zero, and that has never happened in the history since we started recording tornadoes,” Gensini said. “However, you look at the upcom-

Tornado Page 2

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ing forecasts, April looks like it’s going to be a busy month. It usually starts off in Texas and Oklahoma, but by May and June, it should be up to us.”

Gensini said usually by the end of March there have been about 250 tornadoes nationwide. The total so far this year is 37

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IHA honors area hospitals NAPERVILLE — The Illinois Hospital Association’s Institute for Innovations in Care and Quality has recently released its fourth annual Quality Excellence Achievement Awards Compendium of projects.

This compendium showcases nearly 100 Illinois hospital and health system projects utilizing the Triple Aim philosophy — better care for individuals, improved health for populations and reduced per capita costs.

Area hospitals included on the list are CGH Medical Center, Sterling; Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital, Dixon; and St. Margaret’s Health, Spring Valley.

“The Quality Excellence Achievement Awards showcase the unceasing work of Illinois hospitals and health systems to

improve the delivery of high-quality patient care while reducing unnecessary costs,” said Maryjane Wurth, IHA president and CEO. “The compendium shares sustainable best practices with the entire hospital community to help transform the delivery of health care in Illinois.”

Innovative projects and initiatives featured in the compendium addressed patient safety and quality, care coordination, readmissions, fall prevention, population health, C. deficit reduction, central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) and catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) reduction, medication management, among others.

All compendiums have

received national exposure by being featured annually on the Hospitals in Pursuit of Excellence (www.hpoe. org), an American Hospital Association affiliate, website. In 2014, three of the HPOE’s top 10 viewed case studies were projects from IHA’s Quality Excellence Awards Compendiums. In total, the IHA Quality Awards Compendium projects had more than 4,600 views nationwide in 2014.

The Illinois Hospital Association is also announcing its call for entries for its fifth annual Quality Excellence Achievement Awards.

Award categories include: Health System, Rural/ Critical Access Hospital, Urban Hospital, and Palliative Care. The application deadline is May 29.

Funding

in Iowa, Ohio and Florida, his native home. Winner of several Native American music awards, he has also played as a featured artist with the Florida Symphony Orchestra and on several movie soundtracks.

“I’ve been blessed to be able to travel all over the place,” Lipford said.

“A lot of traveling, a lot of music, a lot of cool things have happened because of it.”

our categorical funding, specifically special education and transportation,” Suarez said. “They’re very behind this year.

The trouble with that is it causes us to use money from elsewhere, and the late payments bleed over into the next year.”

One of the items in Gov. Bruce Rauner’s revised budget calls for cutting state funding to all schools by 50 percent, a move Suarez sees as shifting the blame.

“Schools do their best to stay inside their budget, and boards and administrators work hard,

but we get blamed for the state’s fiscal problems,” Suarez said. “Meanwhile, unethical, slimy players like Aaron Schock spend all this excess money and then compare themselves to Abraham Lincoln.

That’s a slap in the face to the state’s taxpayers and a slap in the face to Abraham Lincoln.”

The Illinois State Board of Education has rated both Tonica and Lostant Grade Schools at the highest level of fiscal responsibility for 10 straight years.

Under public pressure, the board voted to keep the preschool program for the 2015-16 school year, with one parent who said if the school is going to end in the black, why

was there a need to cut the program.

For the next school year, the school will need to come up with more money due to another decision approved later in the meeting. For the 2015-16 school year, the board voted to hire both a superintendent and a principal. In recent years, one individual has performed the duties of both offices, saving the district tens of thousands of dollars. Although the hires were approved pending contract negotiations, the personnel budget will still need to increase to cover the extra administrator.

Shaw Media Services reporter Zita Henneberry contributed to this report.

only have about four or five days to see those big outbreaks coming. It’s really hard to see that more than a week out.”

Illinois Emergency Management Agency Director James K. Joseph also recommends taking the time to learn about severe weather hazards, identify a safe place to go during storms and assemble and maintain an emergency supply kit.

“These actions could help save your life or the

life of your loved ones,” he said.

Joseph said Illinois experienced 48 tornadoes in 2014, which resulted in two injuries and nearly $5 million is damage to homes and crops. In 2013, the state saw 54 tornadoes, including 25 twisters on Nov. 17, a vivid reminder tornadoes and severe weather can happen any time of the year.

Chasing tornadoes for research is a part of

the job for Gensini, and though he’s seen a specially equipped storm chaser SUV tossed into a field, he still loves the chase. He’s also see people try to get a closer look at storms ... in many cases too close.

“A safe distance for me is a mile. If you’re closer than a mile, you have the potential to be hit by debris; you have the potential to be hit by large hailstones that are falling out of that storm,” Gensi-

ni said. “When you’re in that proximity of a mile, you’ve just got to be careful. You see people get within a couple hundred yards, but you’ll see your luck is going to run out.”

LaSalle County residents can visit www.nws. noaa.gov/om/severeweather/resources/ ttl6-10.pdf to learn more information on what to do during severe weather.

Shaw Media Services reporter Goldie Currie contributed to this report.

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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From Page 1

Published every Friday Entered at Tonica Post Office as Periodical Mail $22 In LaSalle County $25 Outside of LaSalle County

TUMC From Page 1

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

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

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Tonica News photo/Ken Schroeder

Jonny Lipford plays a Native American flute during the Sunday services at Tonica United Methodist Church on Sunday, March 22.

Association 1865-2015

Native American flute and he explained how easy it was. I begged my mom to get me one for Christmas, and on Christmas Day 2002, I started a journey I had no idea I’d be on.”

Lipford just released his 13th album, “Woodland Peace,” and is touring to promote the release with concert dates this month

Tornado From Page 1 — about 18 percent the normal rate. He noted nature has a tendency to correct itself.

“Sometimes, in order to get back to average, Mother Nature says, ‘Look at me, I’m going to have an outbreak or two, and I’ll catch up in a snap to the average,’” Gensini said. “Unfortunately, to see those coming, you

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3 Obit Records Friday, April 3, 2015 • The Tonica News • 3

Tax Tips 101

Fiber network enhances NCBHS mental health outreach

You want to help the kids, so you give them a price break on selling them a house? Ouch. That can be expensive!

By Barb Chambers A very common mistake is assuming that you can take a tax loss on selling a property to your family (your children, grandchildren, your siblings). But your Uncle Sam says no, no. no!

Here is a scenario: You have a rental house that you want to be sell. Your son and his wife want to buy a house. It’s your kids, so why not give them a break, and then you can recoup a bit through the tax loss that you take?

Sounds pretty reasonable, right? Wrong!

There is no tax loss allowed when you sell to a related party. That includes your children, grandchildren, your parents, your siblings. On the upside, your aunts, uncles and cousins are not considered related parties.

So, be aware of this if you are considering any kind of a business deal with a family member.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it, just that you shouldn’t plan on a tax benefit when you do.

Barb Chambers Your tax advisor can give you details for specific transactions.

Barb Chambers, CPA, resides in McNabb. She can be reached at 815882-2437 or 815-252-2427 or at Baccpa1@gmail. com.

Tonica Cemetery clean-up TONICA — The Tonica Cemetery Association will host its annual clean-up. Volunteers are welcome to help remove older

decorations at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 4.

Grave blankets, glass and faded items will be removed.

Eligibility change for USDA housing programs Mapping changes may affect applicants CHAMPAIGN — Changes in whether a geographic area is classified as rural or non-rural may affect applicants for the USDA Rural Development Single Family Housing (SFH) Programs.

For families and individuals to be eligible for application to the SFH programs, the property must be located in a “rural” area, generally non-metro communities less than 35,000 in population. On Feb. 2, the Future Eligible Areas map was implemented. For Illinois, the changes primarily involve realigning boundaries along roads and municipal corporate limits rather than imaginary boundaries.

This should help lenders and applicants more easily identify whether a property is eligible for USDA’s assistance.

The Rural Development Single Family Housing Programs provide safe, well-built, affordable homes for rural Americans through loans to buy, build, improve, repair or rehabilitate the applicant’s permanent residence. Programs include the Guaranteed Rural Housing Loan Program, through which qualified families are able to obtain attractive financing terms, such as 100 percent financing from select lenders across the state; the Direct Rural Housing Loan Program which offers a subsidized housing payment based on income; and the 504 Repair Program that helps rural residents remain in their homes,

through repairs such as the installation of wheelchair modifications in the home of a person who has become disabled or new siding and windows for a person no longer able to keep up with home repairs.

Details on eligible and ineligible areas can be found at the Rural Development Eligibility website: http://rdeligibility. usda.gov/.

“There are multiple communities that are newly eligible,” said Barry Ramsey, housing program director. “Our field offices are looking forward to working with lenders, real estate agents and home buyers in these expanded areas.

More information or direction to the nearest field office can be obtained by calling the Rural Development State Office located in Champaign at 866-481-9575.

Heartland Bank and Trust Co. donates to area schools Heartland Bank and Trust Co. recently donated more than $2,300 to area schools through the Score with Heartland Bank program, which donates $1 for each free throw made at a high school varsity home boys and girls basketball game during the

regular and post season.

“We strive to find ways to reach out to our local communities and give back. Through our Score with Heartland Bank program, we are able to financially support local schools and create additional excitement for each

free throw made,” stated Tim Kunkel, retail support manager.

Donations this season were presented to local high schools including Bureau Valley, DePue, Hall, Henry-Senachwine, LaSalle-Peru, Princeton and St. Bede.

Technology made possible by the iFiber network has allowed North Central Behavioral Health Systems (NCBHS) to greatly expand mental health services across eight Illinois counties.

“Telehealth services have been expanded and enhanced, providing better services to clients in our remote offices and creating access to more individuals here and those in crisis at area hospital emergency departments,” said Donald Miskowiec, president and CEO of the LaSalle-based system.

“The bandwidth and high-speed connections enabled us to invest in additional video-conferencing equipment, allowing our iFiber-connected remote offices to see a much faster response when using all of our available network resources,” added Jodi Mahoney, vice president and chief operating officer.

Mahoney and Pat Brust, network administrator, recently demonstrated a Polycom video-conferencing system set up in the LaSalle office and duplicated in seven of its eight NCBHS’ locations.

In addition to utilizing Polycom, NCBHS uses the software platform Therapy Live Visit (TLV). The software, in conjunction with video equipment, allows therapists to talk to, counsel and evaluate patients off-site.

The video-conferencing equipment also enables interactive staff meetings, training and webinars involving NCBHS’ 140 staff members located in LaSalle, Ottawa, Streator, Princ-

the software platform on it that can connect to NCBHS’ access center.

Through telehealth, NCBHS staff can deliver crisis assessments at any time. Mahoney said it has helped improve patient flow in the emergency departments because travel time for counselors is not involved.

Because NCBHS has been serving clients via telehealth methods for many years, Mahoney said it has gained valuable experience in effective treatment. NCBHS follows guidelines established by the American Telemedicine Association, which help with properly engaging individuals being treated via telehealth. NCBHS shares its knowledge and experience in telehealth treatment as a presenter at national conferences.

NCBHS also has clients in a permanent supported housing program who may not be able to leave their homes for one reason or another. A case manager visits the homes, but then once a month helps the client connect with their counselors via the telehealth method.

“Individuals we serve through the Therapy Live Visit have all given us positive feedback about using this technology for their treatment,” said Mahoney.

NCBHS also uses telehealth to deliver its specialty addictions intensive outpatient therapy program. In addition, its eight-bed CILA mental health residential facility utilizes telehealth methods to connect regularly to a group leader at an NCBHS office.

Three promoted at LaSalle State Bank LASALLE — LaSalle State Bank has announced three promotions, which were effective Jan. 1.

Jeffrey D. Ellis became the seventh president in the 121-year history of the bank. Previously, Ellis had served in the role of senior vice president and senior loan officer. He has extensive experience, both in bank management and as a commercial loan officer. Ellis holds a bachelor of finance degree from Miami University and earned his MBA from the University of Iowa.

Additionally, Michael C. Benjamin, CPA, was promoted to the position of executive vice president and chief financial officer.

He has held the position

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of chief financial officer at the bank since 2011.

Prior to that, he served as the bank’s controller. He received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from St. Joseph’s College along with completing the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.

Lastly, Christopher L. Duncan was promoted to vice president and senior loan officer. In his new role, he will oversee all of the bank’s lending activities. Previously, Duncan held the position of credit analyst and commercial loan officer at the bank.

He has several years of experience in both the lending and trust areas.

He received his bachelor of finance degree from the

University of Notre Dame.

Chairman of the Board of Directors of LaSalle State Bank John S. Duncan III said, “We are pleased to be able to announce these three promotions. These three individuals, along with Vice President of Retail Banking and Compliance Amy Moskalewicz, comprise the bank’s senior management team. We are very confident in their ability to lead our organization and to continue to provide LaSalle State Bank’s valued customers with exceptional products and services.”

LaSalle State Bank’s main location is at 654 First St. in LaSalle. LaSalle State Bank has branches in LaSalle, Peru and Utica.

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eton, Canton, Macomb, Toulon and Lacon. All sites connect into the main LaSalle office, with the LaSalle, Ottawa and Streator sites being connected to the fiber network.

NCBHS serves about 5,000 clients a year with a broad range of mental health and addictions services for individuals and families. Its services include counseling for those experiencing common issues like depression, anxiety and stress, to those needing intensive mental health or substance use programs, medication management, psycho-social rehabilitation, community and home support, or a variety of other specialized services.

As an early adopter of electronic health records (since 2002), NCBHS now takes advantage of the added bandwidth available through the iFiber network to maintain and transmit data without delays or quality issues.

NCBHS has offered telehealth services for many years, first relying on T1 lines and then a T3 line before iFiber’s network became available.

Miskowiec and Mahoney sit on a telehealth sub-committee of the Illinois’ Governor’s Office of Health Information Technology (GOHIT) that among other things looks at use of telehealth in hospitals, which is something NCBHS does.

From January-September 2014, NCBHS conducted 321 TLV sessions with the eight hospitals it serves.

Each emergency department has a laptop with

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4 Perspective 4 • The Tonica News • Friday, April 3, 2015

The Editorial Page The Tonica News Sam R Fisher

Terri Simon

Publisher

Editor

Missed minutes Most of us use technology on a daily basis. I’m primarily speaking of cell phones now.

The majority of us live in a world of cell phone contracts, apps, texting, gaming and more. We choose a provider and look for the best deal with unlimited minutes, texts, etc. We pay the bill each month to keep us connected to our friends, family, the world. It’s a way of life now, for most of us.

By and large, I’m thankful for what cell phones have brought to the world. No longer will I ever worry if I have a flat tire or if a family member has an emergency, since I can make a call or be reached anywhere I am. It’s fabulous, and it’s changed the make-up of who we are.

With cell phones, though, come technological manners which many don’t follow.

Talking on your cell phone in certain places or situations just isn’t appropriate, and I’m rather annoyed when those Terri Simon unspoken rules aren’t followed. First and foremost, I don’t want to hear another person’s one-sided cell phone conversation. More important to me, I don’t like it when I’m with people who take a call and don’t excuse themselves from the table, the meeting or any social gathering. I think it’s rude, thoughtless.

Because of my life at this newspaper, I feel I must leave my phone on 24/7. The other night we were out to dinner with friends, and my cell phone rang. When I noticed it was from the office, I promptly excused myself from the table, went to a remote area of the restaurant, and then apologized to my friends when I returned to the table, explaining the call came from the office and I felt obligated to take it, especially with newspapers coming off the press.

Fast forward to a recent Saturday morning ...

We don’t go out to eat a lot, but this particular Saturday presented us with the opportunity to grab a quick bite and a cup of coffee and discuss our weekend plans. It was just going to be a bit of a respite in what was going to be a rather hectic weekend.

As we sipped coffee and talked about our day, a mom and her three children slipped into the booth in front of me. They didn’t present any distractions. They were only seated about a minute when ... well, you can about guess what I’m going to write next ...

As the three children sat quietly, the mother immediately took out her cell phone, as they waited for their food. I don’t know if the mother was texting, playing a game, checking the previous day’s stock prices or what ... but it didn’t matter. She was completely consumed with her cell phone; the children chatted quietly among themselves.

Still sipping our coffee, the quartet in the booth in front of me got their food. The kids were extremely self-sufficient. Despite their young age, they each were able to cut their food, spread butter and syrup on a pancake and squirt ketchup on some hash browns ... all the while their mom started to eat with her cell phone still in her hand. The kids ate quietly. The mom never said a word, her eyes still on her phone ...

It was time for us to go. I couldn’t help but think of the moments this mom was missing, as she ignored her kids in the name of a what lived on that cell phone screen. Could she have been in the middle of an emergency, needing to use her phone? Perhaps, but I have to assume you wouldn’t be having a leisurely breakfast with three kids if there was an emergency situation at hand.

I heard more of those kids’ conversation than their mother ever acknowledged ... The oldest was going to a sleepover that night. The youngest doesn’t like sausage. The middle child hates the color red. Maybe their mom heard their words, but she never acknowledged them. No kidding. She didn’t say a word to them.

While we might have unlimited minutes on our cell phones, we don’t have unlimited minutes with those we love. And above all we must remember ... our cell phones can’t love us back.

Tonica News Editor Terri Simon can be reached at tsimon@tonicanews.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

First Person Laurie Block

Town: Cherry.

Occupation: Cashier at Shell Express Lane.

Family: I have one daughter who is a supervisor at Home Depot.

Pets: I have two cats, Tinker and Pasha.

What is the last book you read: “To Have The Right.”

What is the last song you heard: “In the End” by Lincoln Park.

What is the last TV show you watched: “Shark Tank.”

If someone stranded you on a deserted island and you could only have one meal for the rest of your life what would it be: Chicken Alfredo.

If someone stranded you on a deserted island and you could take only one thing with you for the rest

of your life, what would it be: My cats.

If someone handed you a million dollars, what would you do with it: Help family and pay off debts.

Name a favorite restaurant: Olive Garden.

What do you like about your home town: It is safe.

Would you make any changes to your hometown: More of a variety of things to do. There are not really that many business there.

Over or under?

The other day on Facebook, I noticed that some friends of mine were having a lively discussion about an incredibly important topic that affects almost every citizen of this great nation. Since then, I’ve been hearing about it everywhere. As an outspoken journalist type of guy, I feel it is my duty, from time to time, to discuss such hard-hitting, controversial subjects.

Here goes ...

This is the question that was posed: How do you hang your toilet paper roll? With the roll unspooling over the top like regular, everyday, normal people or unspooling under, or to the rear of the roll like unstable, possibly psychotic people? Allow me to keep writing and chew up some column inches while you determine my stance on the subject.

I have spent a lot of time since then seated comfortably in my thinking chair, pondering this perplexing problem. So much so, that my wife and daughter have been known to knock on the door yelling some jibberishy nonsense about other people needing to use the bathroom. It’s difficult to figure out the world’s problems when living with such impatient, possibly small-bladdered folks.

During my exhaustive investigative research, which consisted of linking to a couple of Internet articles on the subject, I arrived at the conclusion that I really don’t like to read Internet articles very much.

I’m fairly confident that every one

Greg Wallace COMMENTARY

of these articles was going to prove that over the top is the proper toilet paper alignment. I’m usually correct on these assumptions.

In a further effort to better understand the situation, I decided to conduct a purely scientific survey. As I was getting my haircut today, I decided to ask the people congregated of their opinion on the subject. There were just two people — the woman who cuts my hair and some other lady.

When I asked, the haircutter said that she had no idea how she hangs the roll. As she went to check, the other woman agreed with me and said definitely over the top. When the barber returned, she informed us that the present roll was in the backwards position. And to think, I trust this lady with my beautiful, flowing hair!

Now the way I see it, the one lady inhales dangerous chemicals all day long while doing permanents and whatever it is that they do over in that pedicure foot bath thingy.

Keeping that in mind, I threw out her survey because she obviously wasn’t in a proper state of mind and probably shouldn’t be trusted.

Now the other lady, who agrees with me, is obviously coherent and

much more able to make a logical decision. Her ballot was counted.

That means, in my survey, 100 percent of the non-possibly insane people polled, position their toilet paper in the over the top, or proper, position. Sorry all of you wrong-hanging toilet paper folks, but numbers don’t lie.

I am proud to say I come from a long and noble lineage of over the toppers. For as long as I can remember, that’s the way it has been. I asked my 21 year old how he hangs his toilet paper roll. I became concerned when he said that he’s never really paid attention. He’s just happy when he looks over and sees that there is toilet paper on the roll holder. I thought back to when I was a 21-year old, bachelor, college student. I know what he’s talking about.

So I guess that the choice is up to you. Do what ever you want. You can go “over the top” which means to over exceed or you can go “from down under” which is synonymous with Australia, a British penal colony. Isn’t it great to live in a land of freedom?

I’m going to have to stop thinking about this for now. The daughter is banging on the door, and it feels like my legs might have fallen asleep. By the way, with an iPad, you can write a column just about anywhere.

You can contact Wallace at gregwallaceink7@gmail.com. You can follow him on his blog at http:// gregwallaceink.blogspot.com.

TO Letter THE Editor

Why do you like Illinois?

To the Editor, I am writing to you for a class project on the novel “The Watsons Go to Birmingham.” My classmates and I are contacting newspapers across the country in a state that we wish to learn more about. I wish to learn more about Illinois

because I’ve only been there to visit my cousin who lives in Chicago, and I know very little about the state in general.

I am writing to ask readers to please write back and tell me why they like Illinois, interesting facts about the state and what visitors can do there. They can write to my school’s address: Queen of Peace Catholic School, 4508 Vistula Road, Mishawaka, IN 46544. If you could

also include a copy of the newspaper in which you saw my letter, it would be greatly appreciated. If you have questions, please contact my teacher’s email at aweisser@ queenofpeace.cc or you may contact her by phone at 574-255-0392, ext. 123.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Isaac Letcher Mishawaka, Ind.

5 Life Friday, April 3, 2015 • The Tonica News • 5

Community Lostant alumni banquet planned for April 25 LOSTANT — The annual Lostant Alumni Banquet is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, April 25, at the PNA Hall, 906 E. Livingstone St., Streator. The banquet will be hosted by the Class of 1990.

The dinner will start at 6 p.m. with a social hour followed by a buffet dinner at 7 p.m. Cost for the banquet is $25 per person. There will be an open house and open gym at the Lostant Grade School from 10 a.m. to noon earlier in the day.

Reservations and payments must be made before April 11 to Cathy (Carr) Blackmore, 471 Winslow Way, Lake in the Hills, IL 60156 or e-mail b.blackmore@sbcglobal. net. Give the year graduated when making reservations.

The new email address for alumni is alumni@ lostantcomets.org. Alumni should resubmit their information. For more information, call Blackmore at 847-515-1589.

Coffee talk session scheduled for April 16 OGLESBY — The next LaSalle-Peru Township High School Board Coffee Talk session has been scheduled.

Members of the LaSalle-Peru Township High School Board and Superintendent Steve Wrobleski will meet with community members in an informal coffee talk meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, April

16, in the Oglesby Public Library, 111 S. Woodland Ave. in Oglesby. This is part of a series of public meetings the L-P School Board offers to give community members the opportunity to learn more about what is happening at LPHS this year. Future coffee talk meetings will be announced later. The public is invited to attend.

Deer Park Community Church Easter services OTTAWA — Deer Park Community Church at 1103 N. 2401 Road, Ottawa, is celebrating its Easter Services this week.

Good Friday Services will be at 5 p.m. Friday, April 3, with communion. Easter Services will start at 10 a.m. on Sunday, April 5.

Deer Park Community Church was founded in 1847 prior to the Civil War

and has been at its current location since 1864.

The church has served the community continuously since then. Its mission focus has always been with military personnel, and it currently sends “care packages” to a Marine Corp Co. serving in Iraq. Everyone is invited to come and enjoy the worship services.

Luncheon and trunk show set for April 12 UTICA — The ladies of the Illinois Valley are invited to attend the seventh annual St. Margaret’s Luncheon and Trunk Show at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 12, at Celebrations 150 in Utica.

This show will benefit the ongoing projects of St. Margaret’s Foundation.

There will be 13 vendors showing their products, including St. Margaret’s Gift Shop, 22 Soap Company, Designs by Lynette, Fun Fashions, Kobilsek’s Wood Turning, LeSmith Design Room, Mary Kay consultant Pat English, Pro Muscle Care in Peru,

Scentsy, Tastefully Simple, 31 Bags, Trinkets & Treats, and Yoli Better Body System.

The ticket price of $15 includes a lunch buffet, chocolate dessert buffet table, refreshments and door prizes. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available at Hy-Vee Grocery and Hackman Insurance in Peru; Studio 718 and Tri-City Frock Shoppe in LaSalle; and Spring Valley City Bank and St. Margaret’s Gift Shop in Spring Valley.

For more information, call 815-664-7260.

Kindergarten and preschool registration set TONICA — Tonica Grade School will be holding kindergarten and preschool registration for the 201516 school year. Registration will be held on Wednesday, April 8, in the school office from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. A certified birth certificate and Social Security card is needed for registration. A child must be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1, in order to enter kindergarten. Preschool students need to be at least 3 years old, on or before Sept. 1, and be potty trained.

All new kindergarten and new

line at the school web site at www. tonicagradeschool.org.

For more information, call the school office 815-442-3420. It is very important for parents to register their child so the school may plan for the coming school year. If parents can not make it in, please call and let the school know their child will be enrolling. For those interested in preschool, please register, as the school only accepts 10 in each class, and it will be on a first come, first serve basis.

Diane McCurdy visits Lostant students

By Leslie Smith

Special to The Tonica News

LOSTANT — Diane McCurdy from the Natural Resources and Conservation Education program, visited Lostant School again on Friday, March 6.

This program was sponsored by the University of Illinois Extension – LaSalle County and the LaSalle County Soil and Water Conservation District. This visit was to teach the first- and second-grade students about birds and the fifth- and sixthgrade students about ecosystems.

The younger children were read a story, shown feathers and pictures of different birds. They went over the types of birds, why they migrate, what they eat and the differences in their feathers, beaks and feet. They learned about making bird feeders and were given the supplies to make their own bird feeder out of twine and cereal. The children were also given a bird booklet and dot to

Photo contributed

First- and second-grade students at Lostant Grade School make bird feeders. dot to take home.

The older classes learned about ecosystems and built their own ecosystems in the classroom. The ecosystem was built to house worms and mealworms. McCurdy brought in the supplies and the students layered rocks, charcoal, Spanish moss and dirt in large plastic bot-

tles. They then added a piece of potato, chicken feed and grass seed.

The meal worms will eat the chicken feed and the grass will grow to complete the ecosystem.

As always, the children enjoyed the visit from McCurdy and the chance to learn more about nature and the environment.

Walczynski will present program on April 7 LASALLE — At 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, at the LaSalle Public Library, author and historian, Mark Walczynski, will present the third program in the Byzantine series, “The Italian-Byzantine Connection.” The Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, lasted just over 1,100 years. Unfortunately, much of the fabulous Byzantine mosaic art and the churches that

once housed these beautiful works are gone — lost to the ages. Fortunately, however, a few remnants can still be seen in Istanbul and in Ravenna and Venice, Italy. Trace the journey of Byzantine art, and learn why some of Constantinople, today’s Istanbul, is found in Italy.

Mark Walczynski has written two books, contributed to publications including the Journal of the Illi-

nois State Historical Society and Le Journal, as well as to numerous historical texts and DVDs. He currently teaches history, philosophy and criminal justice at Illinois Valley Community College.

This program is free and open to the public. The library is located at 305 Marquette St., LaSalle. For more information, call the LaSalle Public Library at 815-223-2341.

Stockman’s Association to award scholarships The LaSalle County Stockman’s Association will be awarding two $1,000 scholarships at its 12th annual Harvest Rewards and Recognition Banquet on Nov. 24.

Applications are now being accepted.

The applicant must be a resident of LaSalle County, between 17 and 23 years of age and enrolling in college or already a college student. The applicant must have participated in livestock activities of 4-H or FFA

and pursuing an agriculture-related field of study in college, come from a background of livestock production and is pursuing an agriculture-related field of study at a college/university or is pursuing a field of study in college in livestock production or animal husbandry.

Scholarship applications are now available at all LaSalle County high schools, FFA advisors, and at Illinois Valley Community College, Joliet Junior College and Kishwaukee

Junior College, and Facebook-LaSalle County Stockman’s Association for the scholarship application along with current Stockman news and events.

All applications must have a postmark no later than Monday, June 12. Applications should be mailed to LaSalle County Stockman’s Association, P.O. Box 853, Streator, IL 61364.

For more information, call Dave Isermann at 815-673-1151.

Casting call for Stage 212’s ‘Cinderella’ LASALLE — Director Phil Grant has announced auditions for Stage 212’s Summer 2015 production, “Cinderella,” the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical adaptation of the classic fairy tale, will be at 7 p.m. Friday, April 10, and 10 a.m.

Saturday, April 11, at the theater, located at 700 First St. in LaSalle.

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Callbacks will be at 5 p.m. April 11.

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6 Life/Class 6 • The Tonica News • Friday, April 3, 2015

Library Corner LaSalle Public Library • The LaSalle Public Library will begin a series of poetry “gatherings” in April. Poets of all ages will meet and read their poetry or favorite poems by other writers on the second Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. at the library, 305 Marquette St. The first gathering is scheduled for April 14. The event is sponsored by the library and will be hosted

by Marydale Stewart. “Everybody is welcome — poets, readers or listeners, and especially students,” Stewart said.

Participants sign up at the beginning of the program for three reading turns. Each turn is limited to five minutes. There will be light refreshments. The poetry program is called a “gathering,” a term borrowed from the cowboy poetry tradition, instead of a “slam.” Originally, poetry slams were competitions, with the audience proclaiming winners.

• On Thursday, April 16 at 6 p.m., Steve Belliveau will combine science and fun in amazing experiments.

Great for adults and kids alike, be prepared to participate in an interac-

tive, exciting, and lively look at solar power, bio fuels, and hydrogen electricity. Featuring large and even giant props, music and humor, Belliveau will engage, astonish and delight!

Belliveau is a member of the National Science Teacher’s Association. He has appeared on TV, radio, Worlds of Wonder Children’s Museum, Kenosha Public Museum, Midland Center for the Arts, Richmond Science Center, Illinois Science Teacher Association Conference, DuPage Department of Education and at Argonne National Laboratory.

He has presented science shows in 11 states.

This is a free program, open to the public. This program is made possible through funding from the Alwin C. Carus Trust. The library is located at 305 Marquette St., LaSalle. For more information, call the LaSalle Public Library at 815-223-2341.

• Join the library when author and food historian Cynthia Clampitt shares the epic story of what happened when Mesoamerican farmers bred a nondescript grass into a crop so prolific and versatile that it represents one of humankind’s greatest

achievements. Blending history with engaging detail, Clampitt traces the disparate threads that have woven corn into the fabric of our diet, politics, economy, science, cuisine, energy and an integral resource in an array of green technologies. From bourbon-to-bio fuels, learn more about the ubiquitous and astonishing plant that sustains the world.

Lostant Public Library

Library Time is every Tuesday from 10 to 10:45 a.m. during the school year for those birth through school age. Join the group any week. Conducted by teacher Sue Massey, children will enjoy stories, songs, puppet play, art and have a snack. Children must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver.

Library Time is funded by the Illinois State Board of Education and sponsored by the early childhood program at Oglesby Public School District. Participants will also have the opportunity to join in Oglesby preschool outings like a zoo visit or evening family program. For more information, call the library at 815368-3530.

14th annual 4-H Day with the St. Louis Cardinals Ticket orders must be postmarked by April 6 ST. LOUIS — Illinois and Missouri 4-H members, parents, volunteers and alumni will gather at Busch Stadium on Saturday, May 16, for the 14th annual 4-H Day with the Cardinals. The National League Central Champion Cardinals will play the Detroit Tigers in a 1:15 p.m. game. Tickets for the game will be $25 each and include a specially designed T-shirt featuring the 4-H Clover on the back and the Cardinals emblem on the front.

Four-H members, leaders, alumni, and their

families who purchase 4-H Day with the Cardinals tickets will have the opportunity to participate in a parade around the Busch Stadium outfield.

Pre-game ceremonies will include a recitation of the 4-H pledge and ceremonial first pitches by an Illinois and Missouri 4-H member.

Tickets for the event must be ordered on the 4-H Day with the Cardinals order form. Ticket order forms are available at the University of Illinois Extension office, 509 Front St., Henry. Ticket orders must be postmarked by April 6. Tickets usually sell out before the order deadline, so families are

encouraged to order early.

Four-H Clubs, counties or groups of families who would like to be seated together must send their orders in the same envelope.

Families can also participate in the 4-H Day with the Cardinals raffle to win prizes such as throwing out the first pitch, autographed baseballs, and tickets to other Cardinal baseball games. Funds raised through the raffle support Missouri and Illinois 4-H programs.

Complete information about the 4-H Day with the Cardinals raffle is on the ticket order form.

If you have questions, need a reasonable accom-

Support group

Birth Announced Smith Auston Smith and Brooklyn Wilson of Lostant are the parents of a daughter, Brialey Maree, born March 26 at Illinois Valley Community College in Peru. She weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces and measured 20 inches in length.

She was welcomed home by one brother, Nicholas, 5, and two sisters, Laci, 4, and Aubree, 1. Maternal grandparents are Patrick and Michelle Logsbon of Lostant.

Paternal grandparents are Larry Smith of Astoria, and Bettrina and Harold Kirkhan of Augusta.

PERU — Possibilities/DBSA, the local depression and bipolar support group, will meet at 6:30 p.m. Mondays, April 6 and April 20, at Illinois Valley Community Hospital in Peru. For information, call Jenny Waskiewicz at 815-2238792.

modation to participate or need more information, call University of Illinois Extension, Bureau-LaSalle-Marshall-Putnam Unit at 309-364-2356. Extension offices are located in Princeton, Ottawa, Henry and in Oglesby on the Illinois Valley Community College campus.

Menus and Activities Lostant Grade School April 6-10 — No school, spring break.

Tonica Grade School Breakfast April 6 — No school, spring break.

April 7 — Mini pancakes, cereal, granola, yogurt or toast, fruit, juice, milk, syrup.

April 8 — Breakfast pizza, cereal, granola, yogurt or toast, fruit, juice, milk.

April 9 — Bagel, cereal, yogurt, granola, English muffin or yogurt or toast, fruit, juice, milk, cream cheese.

April 10 — Muffin, cereal, yogurt, granola, or toast, fruit, juice, milk.

Lunch April 6 — No school, spring break.

April 7 — Hot dog on a bun, baked beans, applesauce, pretzels, milk, ketchup, mustard.

April 8 — Menus are subject to change at any time.

Early Out — No Lunch.

April 9 — Breaded chicken patty, bun, french fries, carrots, fruit, ketchup, ranch dressing, mustard, mayo, pickle, milk.

April 10 — Cheese pizza or sausage pizza, banana, shredded lettuce, milk, salad dressings.

Activities April 6 — No school, spring break.

April 7 — Softball at home vs. Flanagan, 4 p.m.

April 8 — 11:45 a.m., early dismissal.

April 9 — 3:45 p.m., softball at Oglesby.

April 11 — SB conference meet, TBD.

Bridges Senior Center calendar April 6 — 9 a.m., Tai Chi; 10 a.m., Sewing Circle; 12:45 p.m., Bingo; 1:30 p.m., open cards.

April 7 — 9 a.m., Forever Fit; 10 a.m., Soldiers’ Angels.

April 8 — 9 a.m., Forever Fit. April 9 — 9 a.m., Tai Chi; 12:45 p.m., Bingo; 1:30 p.m., open cards.

April 10 — 9 a.m., Forever Fit; 10 a.m., family caregiver support group; 1 p.m., open Wii bowling.

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7 Classifieds Friday, April 3, 2015 • The Tonica News • 7

Stay in Touch with Us!

CAN YOU DIG IT? NOT UNTIL YOU CALL 811 Stay safe while working outdoors.

Always call JULIE at 811 before you dig.

If you smell an odor like rotten eggs in your home, leave immediately. Call Ameren Illinois at 1.800.755.5000 from a different location to report the gas odor. If you smell gas outside, call Ameren Illinois to report. There is no charge for this service.

––––––––––– 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.

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8 • The Tonica News • Friday, April 3, 2015 999 • Legal Notices

999 • Legal Notices

999 • Legal Notices

999 • Legal Notices

999 • Legal Notices

999 • Legal Notices

999 • Legal Notices

999 • Legal Notices

SUMMER MOWING The Village of Tonica is currently accepting bids for mowing season 2015. Bids encompass six separate village properties and are due

by April 13th.

For more information call the public works office at 815-442-3101 and leave a message.

Published in the Tonica

News March 27 and April 3, 2015.

owning, conducting and transacting the business known as Up In Lites Advertising located at 3 Westclox Ave., Peru, IL 61354.

Dated: March 10, 2015.

James Grant Applicant Published in the Tonica News Mar. 20, 27 and Apr. 3, 2015

NOTICE OF INTENT TO FILE APPLICATION The Village of Tonica, LaSalle County, Illinois is submitting an application for financial assistance to USDA Rural Development to perform an upgrade of the Waste Water Treatment Plant.

Additional informa-

tion may be obtained by contacting the Village Engineer, Jack Kusek, McClure Engineering, Ottawa, Illinois 61350 at (815) 433-2080.

Published in the Tonica News Apr. 3, 2015.

LaSalle County, Illinois 6:00 p.m., April 20, 2015 Tonica Village Hall 308 Uncas St, Tonica, IL 61370 A public meeting will take place on April 20, 2015, at 6:00 p.m. at the Tonica Village Hall, 308 Uncas St., Tonica, Illinois for the purpose of providing

general information to the public regarding the proposed Waste Water Treatment Plan Improvements project.

The public is invited to attend and comment on such issues as economic and environmental impacts, service area, alternatives to the project or any other pertinent issues.

By /s/ Heather Sherman Village Clerk Published in the Tonica News Apr. 3, 2015.

NOTICE Public Notice is hereby given that on March 10, 2015 a certificate was filed in the Office of the County Clerk of LaSalle county, Illinois, setting forth the names and post office addresses of all the persons

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING Village of Tonica,

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2 2 • Spring 2015

Ag Matters

Area farmer breaks 100 bushel ceiling Dan Arkels grows 104 bushels per acre of soybeans

By Ken Schroeder Shaw Media Service

TONICA — The U.S. Department of Agriculture released figures for the Illinois 2014 soybean crop on Feb. 26. Estimates put the record-breaking total at an average of slightly more than 50 bushels per acre, a level once thought impossible to break.

Don’t tell that to Dan Arkels.

“It started a year ago when I went to Commodity Classic in San Antonio. I was approached by a representative from Stoller USA; they make biological products,” Arkels said. “We got together and he said, ‘The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) has a yield contest, and we would like to help you accomplish that goal.’ I had tried for a couple of years, and I couldn’t even get close. I got within the mid-80s, but I couldn’t get any closer.”

The extra help and determination must have made a difference. On a 30-acre

test plot, Arkels answered the ISA 100 Bushel Challenge with a 103.95 bushel per acre crop, nearly 15 bushels per acre more than the previous record.

Arkels said it didn’t happen overnight; it took a lot of work.

“It wasn’t easy, but it can be done, if you have the right soil and the right growing season,” Arkels said. “I had fertility down for 100 bushel crop; potash and phosphate to support that crop and nitrogen was applied to the crop in small increments throughout the growing season. The latest seed technology from Pioneer and a full-season bean, and we took care of them with a lot of application of product throughout the growing season.

“We did two ground applications with foliar products in them, and then four aerial applications after that,” Arkels said. “We had a sprayer over that field six times altogether, and each time we had a cocktail of products that was going to feed and protect the

Photo contributed/Shaw Media Service Photo

Above: Dan Arkels of Tonica stands in front of his combine on the test plot where he grew soybeans at 104 bushelsan-acre to meet the Illinois Soybean Association’s Hundred Bushel Challenge. A lot of persistent care went into the high yield, but Arkels was quick to thank several people for making the accomplishment possible and said a good seed is the base. Below, left: Arkels used Pioneer P34T07R2 as his seed for his test plot, which he purchased from Lukach Seed in Tonica. Arkels credited Dan and George Arkels with technical advice for the project.

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3 Spring 2015 • 3

Ag Matters crop to keep that crop as healthy as we could during the growing season.”

Arkels said although last year was a good growing season, it was not a great season. With no rain through the month of July and into early August, his crop started to stress, especially during the heat of the day.

With the man hours and extra chemicals it took to achieve nearly 104 bushels per acre, the question is, was it economically successful?

“Everybody asks me that question,” Arkels said. “I don’t get into actual numbers of ‘I spent such-andsuch dollars and sold it at this price,’ but I can tell you is normal production acres yielded in the upper 70s throughout the 1,000 acres of soybeans. I added 25 bushels of soybeans to my Illinois Soybean Association high-yield plot. If you take 25 bushels of beans times $10; that’s what they are today.

That’s $250 of extra income per acre. I did not spend $250 extra.”

Arkels said he learned a lot from the experience, and while he will take much of what he learned from the plot and apply it to the rest of his crop, he doesn’t plan at this time to apply the same care to his entire crop. He will, however, continue to experiment to find a combination that will raise his yields.

Photo contributed “If you don’t change your Dan Arkels holds some of the fruits of his labor. Arkels was able to grow 104 bushels methods, you’ll never change per acre on his test plot. He said the most important thing to do that most farmers fail your crop,” he said. to consider is fertilize the soil enough.

Shaw Media Service photo/Ken Schroeder

George (left) and Dan Lukach stand with a bag of Pioneer’s P34T07R2, which Dan Arkels used for his record crop. George said the seed is part of the new “T” series from Pioneer which is the culmination of three years of development and treatment behind the product line.

The science of soybeans

By Ken Schroeder Shaw Media Service

According to the University of Illinois, the U.S. soybean crop 50 years ago was one of the smallest during the last 60 years, at about 22.5 bushel per acre (bpa). Throughout the intervening half-century, harvest numbers have increased with

a few hiccups until the 2014 harvest of an estimated 47.5 bpa. Illinois set the bar with a record estimated 56.0 bpa. Just five years ago, the average nationwide was 41 bpa.

While new farm technologies and techniques have had a lot to do with that, it all starts with the seed, and today’s soybean is very different from the one your fathers

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4 4 • Spring 2015 and grandfathers planted in the ‘60s.

In beating the 100 bushel-an-acre challenge, Tonica’s Dan Arkels made it clear he had help from others in order to get the job done.

Among the people he cited were Lukach Seed Co. and Pioneer Seed.

Between the advice and product, Arkels was able to achieve what nobody else did.

So what’s in the future for seed? More of the same ... and more.

“We’ve had two years of record soybean yields, and we’re looking forward to striving to another one with the new genetics we have coming to the table,” George Lukach, co-owner of Lukach Seed, said. “We’ve learned a lot in the last three years in specific to certain applications and treatments that are driving soybean yields higher.”

It starts with the seed, and soybeans have been genetically modified to remove unwanted traits while improving growth and performance traits through DNA manipulation. The first genetically modified soybeans were planted in the U.S. in 1996. Today, most of the American crop has been genetically modified according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

While seed and hard

Ag Matters

Exciting time for meat and livestock sector

Industry looking at multi-year expansion

Shaw Media Service photos/Ken Schroeder

Above: Lukach Seed employee John Glascock loads seed onto a palette at the company’s Streator location as he sorts a farmer’s order. Below: Lukach’s Streator locale has two storage warehouses where bags of seed are received from Pioneer. Many come as bags loaded on palettes for separation to various growers. Other orders are large enough, they’re sent in large ProBoxes for easier storage and sorting. Lukach’s new facility in Lostant has one slightly larger storage area to handle its smaller client base. work can get you there, it’s not a guarantee.

“We know the genetics have the ability to produce in excess of 100 bushel (per acre) on soybeans, but there’s a lot to go into that. Weather is probably the biggest component to driving yields,” Lukach said. “We can do all the treatments in the world and the best seed in the world, and if the weather doesn’t cooperate, you’re not going to get those yields.”

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — An expanding supply and strong demand for meat and poultry will create a positive outlook for future livestock markets, said Glynn Tonsor, associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University. Tonsor presented to farmers and ranchers from across the country during a featured workshop on the livestock market outlook at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 96th annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show.

“The meat-to-feed price ratios will be very attractive, which will create a multi-year period of industry expansion,” Tonsor said. Producers can look for an expansion in pork sooner than in beef, but an overall increase in U.S. red meat and poultry will occur in the first quarter of 2015, according to projections. Tonsor also mentioned that global demand for meat provides a long list of reasons to be confident.

Certain circumstances in the U.S. could have

effects that push the market in either direction.

Changes in the economy like lower gas prices and perhaps wage increases could allow for additional expendable income for consumers to spend on protein, yet the impact of pork diseases such as porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome as well as pasture and range conditions have not yet been fully determined, Tonsor said.

Key political issues to keep an eye on that could have major effects on livestock markets include country of origin labeling, international poultry trade bans, a second beef checkoff and public acceptance of scientific advancements, he pointed out.

Tonsor ended his presentation by challenging producers to understand the livestock industry is constantly changing.

“This is not your father’s world anymore,” Tonsor said. “Recognize what it is going to be like to be a producer in the coming years because it is going to be different.”

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5 Spring 2015 • 5

Ag Matters

USDA announces funding for renewable energy, energy efficiency projects CHAMPAIGN — Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that rural agricultural producers and small business owners can now apply for resources to purchase and install renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements. These efforts help farmers, ranchers and other small business owners save money on their energy bills, reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil, support America’s clean energy economy, and cut carbon pollution.

The resources are made possible by the 2014 Farm Bill.

“This funding allows rural Illinois farmers and small businesses to realize significant economic benefits,” said Colleen Callahan, Illinois Director for Rural Development. “It’s an opportunity to use today’s technology to be more energy and cost-efficient. That’s one way we can help our producers save money and our rural businesses create more jobs.”

USDA is making more than $280 million available to eligible applicants through the http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/rural-energy-america-program-renewable-energy-systems-energy-efficiency Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Eligible renewable energy projects must incorporate commercially available technology. This includes renewable energy from wind, solar, ocean, small hydropower, hydrogen, geothermal and renewable biomass (including anaerobic digesters). The maxi-

mum grant amount is $500,000, and the maximum loan amount is $25 million per applicant.

Previous REAP projects in Illinois include: • Organic farmers in Jo Daviess County in Northern Illinois, used REAP funding to install a system which converts energy from solar panels to electricity.

The owners have saved, on average, $150 per month.

• Illinois Rural Electric Cooperative (IREC) in the Central Illinois community of Winchester, installed a 500 KW solar facility to help serve its 7,800 members.

At full capacity, the solar farm will provide enough electricity for about 170 homes on the hottest day of the year. This instal-

lation was the first utility-scale photovoltaic solar system by a cooperative in Illinois.

• Safi Sana Inc. has car wash locations in Catlin, Georgetown and Tilton, all located in Vermillion County in Central Illinois. In 2012, the owner installed solar photovoltaic systems at each location. They also installed solar thermal systems at two locations. Between the photovoltaic and thermal systems, on average the owners have saved around $6,000 annually.

• A grain farmer in Richland County in southern Illinois used REAP funding to install 90 solar modules on his 2,700 acre farm.

The owner has saved, on average, $320 per month. Adding

these panels to his existing 72 previously installed, he has been able to generate 100 percent of his electricity needs.

Energy efficiency improvement projects eligible for REAP funding include lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation, fans, automated controls and insulation upgrades that reduce energy consumption. Replacing an outdated grain dryer with a new, energy efficient model is an example of an energy efficiency improvement project. The maximum grant amount is $250,000, and the maximum loan amount is $25 million per applicant.

USDA is offering grants for up to 25 percent of total project costs and loan guarantees

for up to 75 percent of total project costs for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements. The REAP application window has been expanded. USDA will now accept and review loan and grant applications year-round.

Application deadlines vary by project type and the type of assistance requested. Details on how to apply are on Page 78029 of the Dec. 29, 2014, Federal Register or are available by contacting either the Illinois Rural Development state office in Champaign at 217-403-6202 or the Illinois Rural Development field office nearest you. Field office locations can be found at www.RD.usda.gov/il.

The REAP program was created in the 2002 Farm Bill. Because of the success of the program, Congress reauthorized it in the 2014 Farm Bill with guaranteed funding of no less than $50 million in annual funding for the duration of the five-year bill.

The 2014 Farm Bill builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past six years while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for taxpayers.

Since 2009, USDA has awarded $545 million for more than 8,800 REAP projects nationwide.

This includes $361 million in REAP grants and loans for more than 2,900 renewable energy systems. When fully operational, these systems are expected to generate more than 6 billion kilowatt hours annually – enough to power more than 5.5 million homes for a year.

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6 6 • Spring 2015

Ag Matters

Farmers, ranchers warn: Estate taxes can kill family businesses WASHINGTON, D.C. — Farm Bureau member Brandon Whitt urged Congress to repeal the estate tax to free up farmers and ranchers to build stronger businesses and benefit their local communities.

Whitt, who farms in Tennessee, testified before the House Ways and Means Committee March 18, where he outlined the harmful impact the estate tax has on family-owned businesses.

“Agriculture looks different on farms from state to state but we all face the same reality that an uncertain tomorrow can bring,” Whitt said. While facing unpredictable weather and fluctuating markets, farmers and ranchers make decisions to expand their businesses and remain competitive. “Why should uncertainties over estate taxes be added to these others?

Our job is hard enough as it is.”

Whitt’s family knows the harmful effects of the

estate tax firsthand. Batey Farms, which Whitt runs with his wife – the seventh generation on the

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farm – and father-in-law, changed completely when his father-in-law was forced to sell off land to

pay estate taxes: the land was lost to development, never to be recovered.

Today, they continue to

face expensive, long-term decisions to make Batey Farms viable far into the future, but they are committed to preserving the land for their community and future generations.

“We believe that our farm adds value to our town, that our neighbors value our open space, that our customers value having a local food source and that our farm market creates a sense of community,” Whitt said.

Around 90 percent of farm and ranch assets are liquid, with the value tied up in land, buildings and equipment. For Whitt’s family, and thousands of others just like them, the ability to grow a business and pass it on to the next generation is slowed by a tax policy in direct conflict with the desire to preserve and protect our nation’s family-owned farms and ranches.

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7 Spring 2015 • 7

Ag Matters

Smart strategies for farmers to manage taxes through the downturn SAN DIEGO, Calif. — A tax specialist presented strategies to help farm business owners lower their income and estate taxes at a workshop at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 96th Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show.

Kevin Bearley, principal of Kennedy and Coe LLC, offered guidance to farmers and ranchers looking to retain their legacy, even if they do not expect to pass their farm business on to the next generation. With 70 percent of U.S. farmland expected to change hands in the next 20 years, he said, it’s important for farm businesses to build into the next generation and create a greater sense of ownership of the land and business.

Estate planning is not about getting out of taxes, but it is about getting assets to the next generation, Bearley noted.

“The main reason people

lose the family farm at the next generation is because they don’t have a plan in place or they haven’t communicated their plan properly,” he said. Since estate tax law is not permanent and can’t be predicted, Bearley emphasized that it’s key to take advantage of planning tools that give owners flexibility for the future. Investment vehicles, such as IDITs and LLCs, let small business owners retain control of their assets during their lifetime.

Bearley also discussed income tax deferral strategies that give small business owners the freedom to invest more of their income. Although important tax incentives have not been made permanent

by Congress yet, he said a solid knowledge of the tax code can help small business owners make smart decisions for building and investing in their businesses.

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8 8 • Spring 2015

Ag Matters

Greater-than-additive management effects key in reducing corn yield gaps URBANA — While many recent studies have documented that agricultural producers must significantly increase yields in order to meet the food, feed, and fuel demands of a growing population, few have given practical solutions on how to do this.

Crop science researchers at the University of Illinois interested in determining and reducing corn yield gaps are addressing this important issue by taking a systematic approach to the problem.

A recent study from the Illinois Crop Physiology Laboratory, led by Fred Below, a University of Illinois crop physiologist, provides the first estimate of the corn yield gap for the U.S. Corn Belt.

In order to quantify the corn yield gap, which they define as the difference between a farmer’s actual yield and the poten-

tial yield for that field, researchers studied combinations of five different management factors in corn-following-soybean trials to determine their effect on yield, both individually and cumulatively.

By using an intensified management system that included increased plant population, transgenic (Bt trait) insect resistance, strobilurin-containing fungicide, balanced crop nutrition (phosphorus-sulfur-zinc), and supplemental side-dressed nitrogen, the researchers saw a yield increase of 28 percent more corn grain compared to that of a standard management system. This study indicates that corn yields in Illinois can be increased by about 28 percent using commercially available technologies and hybrids.

More important, the study concluded that no

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that produced the highest yields. All factors, except for plant population, were necessary for maximizing yield and reducing the yield gap.

“The objective of our

study was to determine which common management practices were the most effective for increasing corn yields,” said Laura Gentry, co-author of the study and adjunct pro-

fessor at the U of I, as well as director of water quality research for the Illinois Corn Growers Association. “We wanted to see what happens if you use a ‘traditional’ versus an ‘advanced’ management approach that encompassed a variety of agronomic practices.”

The design of the study, an incomplete factorial design commonly referred to as an addition/omission study, entailed applying each of the five management factors (plant population, transgenic trait, fungicide, nitrogen fertility, and phosphorus-sulfur-zinc fertility) at two levels (traditional and advanced). The design allowed for two important control treatments: high tech, in which all management factors are applied at the advanced level, and traditional, in which all management factors are

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Ag Matters applied at the lower level.

“Omission treatments” were created by applying a single factor at the lower level while all other factors were maintained at the advanced levels.

Similarly, “addition treatments” were created by applying a single factor at the advanced level while maintaining all other factors at the lower level. The study also allowed the researchers to make several critical comparisons in order to estimate the yield value of each technology factor when it was a component of a traditional system of lower inputs and when it was a component of an advanced system of higher-level inputs.

Field trials were conducted during the 2009 and 2010 growing seasons at two sites: The Crop Sciences Research and Education Center in Champaign-Urbana (CU), and the Dixon Springs Research Center in

Southern Illinois (DS).

In addition to determining simple yield effects, the researchers also evaluated treatment effects on kernel number and kernel weight.

They found that as each advanced factor was withheld from the high tech system, kernel number decreased. Kernel weight was only consistently affected by strobilurin fungicide application.

“If the goal is to feed nine billion people, we need to increase our productivity by 70 to 100 percent,” Gentry said. “So it is valuable to know that most of our yield gain came from greater kernel number, and it was harder to influence kernel weight. This information has a variety of implications for corn breeding as well as management practices like plant population.”

While the yield contribution of each factor was greatest when applied as

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10 10 • Spring 2015 part of the full complement of advanced-level inputs, Gentry explained that the two management factors that were consistently the most influential for increasing yields were the Bt-trait and the strobilurin-containing fungicide.

When the Bt-traited hybrid was omitted from the high tech system, they saw an 8.7 percent yield decrease and a yield increase of 4.5 percent when the Bt trait was added to the traditional system. “Farmers know that the hybrid trait is critical,” Gentry said. “They pay more for the seed, but this study shows that they are compensated in terms of their yields. And, environmentally, we’re applying less insecticides.”

The contribution of the strobilurin-containing fungicide was unexpected by the researchers, especially during the 2010 growing season when conditions were dry. Applying strobilurin fungicide increased yield by 8.5 percent (CU) and 9.4 (DS) percent. Gentry said this may have been due to strobilurin’s properties as a plant growth regulator, which kept leaves greener later in the season, and also that it may have accounted for a reduction in kernel abortion during the moderate drought.

Though the environments included in the study could have supported plant populations greater than 32,000 plants per acre, the study concluded that maintaining a lower plant population while supplying the other inputs at the advanced level neither increased nor decreased yield.

Will this intensified approach be economically possible for farmers?

“That was not the focus of this study or the question we wanted to answer,” Gentry said. “In all likelihood, our high technology treatment of advanced inputs would not prove to be the most profitable treatment despite producing the greatest yields.

“The value of the added yield would not compensate for the cost of the extra inputs, especially

Ag Matters when corn prices are low.

This study was a first step towards a greater understanding of how we can increase yields in the U.S. Corn Belt to meet increasing demand for corn,” she added.

“This principle that there is a ‘synergistic’ or greater-than-additive yield response under more intensively managed systems is new knowledge. Corn yields with today’s hybrids do

have the potential to increase with the application of protection chemicals and by making crop nutrients more plant-available,” she said.

Gentry added that the

researchers hypothesize that corn yields can be further increased in a sustainable way, even beyond the results demonstrated in this study, with continued crop breeding

efforts, advancements in fertilizer formulations and placement technology, and possibly, with the development of effective plant growth promoters, she said.

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Ag Matters

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HOSE DOCTOR On-Site Hose Repair

Shop 815-849-5223 Cell 815-994-7543 2025 Sublette Rd., Sublette, IL

proudly supports

End of May – End of October Tuesdays 3:00pm - 6:00pm Saturdays 8:30am - 2:00pm

NEW LOCATION Frontier Lot next to the Prouty Building South Main Street

12 12 • Spring 2015

Ag Matters

Princeton’s Choice for Tough Chevy Trucks!

4 4 4 4 4

Best Resale Value Longest Lasting Lower Step-In Height Quiet, Smooth Ride Best Fuel-Mileage

Any Combination of Cabs, Drive Systems & Capabilities You Need to Get the Job Done!

As always, we give maximum trade allowances & many finance options! Leasing is available as well!

1402 North Main Princeton, Illinois

815-875-4411 • www.piehlmotorsgm.com

“SERVING ALL YOUR PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE NEEDS”

Your Partner for progress: SEED & AGRONOMY:

Ashton, Buda, Henry, LaMoille, Princeton, Toulon, Varna, Walnut, Walton

ENERGY:

Buda, Princeton, Toulon, Varna, Walton

STRUCTURES & EQUIPMENT: Princeton

TECHNOLOGY: Princeton

TRUCKING & ON FARM PICKUP: Buda

815-875-2808

22069 US Hwy 34 • Princeton, IL 61356 SERVING BUREAU, LEE, MARSHALL, PUTNAM, STARK COUNTIES