1A Front Volume 142 No. 26
Friday, June 3, 2016
Single Copy Cost 50¢
Mosquitoes 101
IDPH offers mosquito prevention tips
By Terri Simon news@tonicanews.com
They are those pesky little creatures that arrive every year. Sometimes they come early — oftentimes they stay late. But either way, mosquitoes are never welcomed guests at our outdoor activities. In the past several years, the common “house” mosquito has caused havoc with its ability to carry West Nile virus (WNV), if that mosquito is infected. “Each year since 2002 when we
saw the first human cases of West Nile virus in Illinois, we’ve seen the virus circulate across the state,” said IDPH Director Nirav D. Shah, M.D. J.D. WNV is transmitted through the bite of an infected Culex pipiens or “house” mosquito. Mild cases of the virus may cause a slight fever or headache, however, more severe infections can cause a rapid onset of a high fever with head and body aches, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, and in the most severe cases, paralysis or death.
Symptoms of WNV begin from three to 14 days after a person is bitten, however, four out of five people infected with WNV will not show any symptoms. People older than 50 are at higher risk for severe illness from WNV, according to a release from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). But move over WNV — there’s a new culprit in the mosquito world, and this little guy is bringing with it a new infection called the Zika virus. “This year many people are con-
cerned about a relatively new virus — Zika virus. While Zika virus is also primarily transmitted through the bite of a mosquito, the main type of mosquito that carries Zika virus is different and is rarely found in Illinois,” Shah said. The IDPH said the Zika virus is primarily transmitted through the bite of an Aedes aegypti mosquito. The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a
week after one is bitten. People usually don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they very rarely die of Zika virus, which basically means many people might not realize they have been infected. A Zika infection during pregnancy, however, can cause a serious birth defect called microcephaly, as well as other severe fetal brain defects. More information about the Zika virus can be found on the IDPH website.
Mosquitoes Page 3A
Tonica News photo/Dave Cook
Ruth Hayward gets active recently at the Putnam County Community Center in Standard.
How far does the dough go?
Study ranks counties by where Social Security goes the furthest By Dave Cook
news@tonicanews.com
STANDARD — It’s not easy to make ends meet, especially if you’re one of the many relying solely on Social Security payments. Rather than enjoying their retirement years in comfort, people can easily find themselves in an ongoing financial struggle. To find where Social Security goes the furthest, New York financial firm SmartAsset has conducted its second annual study and released the rankings of the nation’s counties. SmartAsset’s Steve Sabato said, “First we looked at the average Social Security income for each coun-
Vol. 142 No. 26 Two Sections - 20 Pages
ty. Then we calculated the taxes based on the state specific tax rules. We subtracted the taxes from that average Social Security income to determine the net income. “Next, we calculated how far that would go in every county to cover basic necessities. We subtracted the county-level cost of typical living expenses from each county’s net Social Security income. Finally, we indexed the results to 100, with 100 showing where Social Security would cover the most needs. Higher scores reflect a better environment for living primarily or exclusively of benefits.”
Social Security Page 2A
Tonica Picnic Day
Longtime tradition continues at Tonica Grade School By Dave Cook
news@tonicanews.com
TONICA — As far back as anyone working at Tonica Grade School could remember, parents and grandparents have been joining their favorite students for a picnic lunch near the end of the school year. This year the weather provided another perfect day, and there was a large crowd on hand to enjoy the outdoors. “We’ve done this for more than 20 years, and it’s always been a popular, end of the year celebration. It’s a good day. We usually do it with a field day also, but we have to fill up extra days
on the calendar this year, so we’ll be holding our field day in June,” school secretary Monica Kreiser said. Kindergartner Aiden Turner, 6, was excited for the chance to eat lunch outside with his family. His lunch bag contained a peanut butter sandwich, watermelon and cookies. Since this was his first year in school, he was asked what his favorite thing about school has been. “Learning,” Turner quickly answered. “Well that’s a good thing to hear,” his father, Josh Turner said, laughing. “This is my first time here, but it certainly won’t be my last with three
Spring has sprung. Are you ready?
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Tonica News photo/Dave Cook
Parents, grandparents, students and staff all took advantage of a perfect day and joined together to enjoy the annual Tonica Picnic Day at Tonica Grade School on May 26. Tonica Grade School will be holding its annual Field Day on Friday, June 3, at the Peru YMCA.
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kids,” said Josh. Outside, families ate at picnic tables, on the steps and on spread blankets beneath the many shady trees. Cafeteria workers had tables outside to provide drinks and supplies, and older students served as runners to help ensure families were well provided for. A grandparent in attendance said, “I used to come here when my older grandchildren were here, and I’ve always enjoyed it. It’s nice because it shows the togetherness of the school and the community. The last day of school in Tonica was June 2.
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