1 Front Volume 140 No. 35
Friday, October 25, 2013
The Tonica News
Single Copy Cost 50¢
Tonica audit shows deficit By Ken Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
TONICA — Joel Hopkins of Hopkins and Associates brought some depressing news to the Tonica Village Board during its meeting on Oct. 21. The village ended its Fiscal Year 2013 with a deficit of approximately $29,000. The figure was driven by
losses in the capital projects fund and the water, sewer and garbage fund of $66,000 and $60,000 respectively. Long-term debt for the village sits at $612,875 due to the bonds and Environmental Protection Agency loan for the sewer and water fund. The village paid $40,763 on the loan this year, but Hopkins reminded the
board annual payment would increase in Fiscal Year 2016 to $77,000 as the loan principal starts getting paid down. The debt is likely to rise as construction begins on the EPA-mandated sewer plant, a project currently estimated at a cost of $2.5 million. On the plus side, both the general fund and TIF district funds post-
ed surplus amounts over Fiscal Year 2012. However, the amount was not enough to cover the losses in other funds. In other action, the board: • Heard a report from Water and Sewer/Streets and Alleys supervisor Marc Lemrise on progress on the new village maintenance building. Work is progressing on
schedule as the interior walls are nearly completed. Lemrise also told the board work on the village tile repair is on hold while the tiling company the village uses is currently working farmers’ fields. He said he still anticipates the work will be done this fall. • Accepted a bid from C&H Electric for the
electrical wiring of the new maintenance building. C&H submitted the low bid at $33,850. • Approved Appropriations Ordinance No. 548, setting the budget for the Fiscal Year 2014. • Approved a donation to the North Central Illinois Council of Governments for $200.
See Audit Page 3
November is National Adoption Month By Dixie Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
TONICA – In the United States, there are more 100,00 children who are in the foster care system waiting to be adopted according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. For the last 17 years, the month of November has been designated by presidential proclamation to be National Adoption Month to help raise awareness for children who are waiting to be adopted. One of those children who were adopted was Tonica Grade School Superintendent/Principal John Suarez. His adoptive parents, John and Pauline Suarez, raised his family in Oglesby. “I never knew a time when I was not adopted. One of my first memories was that of my sister telling me that our parents were not our real parents,” he said. “I also recall that I did not care as we had toys and I had a bike. Looking back, it is funny to think that way but kids are resilient and have very basic needs.” There are many types of adoptions and the process can take a long time. Domestic adoptions can be done through a private agency or through the foster care system. Prospective parents will go through education classes.
Vol. 140 No. 35 One Section - 8 Pages
An important difference to note is with foster care adoptions, as a rule they do not get to pick their child. In private adoptions, the birth parents pick the adoptive parents. The adoptive parents are registered in a system which allows the birth parents to review who their child will go to. In either process, adoptees note their life changes for the better. “I think when you are young you have no idea how this enriches your life,” Suarez said. “But when I started to teach, I began to see the not so great situations that some children are place in. I knew I was so very, very, very lucky to get adopted by my parents.” In some cases, adoptive children get to meet their birth parents. Sometimes this happens when they are very young, sometimes they do not meet them until adulthood. “I found out in my early 30s that my birth mother was still alive and doing well in the Quad Cities,” Suarez said. “My birth father was actually killed in the Vietnam War. He was a mere 19 years old when he was killed in action.” Sometimes adoptive children meet their birth families in very unique ways. Suarez was no exception to this situation.
See Adoption Page 3
Tonica News photo/Ken Schroeder
Lois Provence reminisces about her history of sewing while working on her latest project.
Keeping a tradition alive By Ken Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
TONICA — For more than two decades, a group of ladies from the Illinois Valley have gathered at each others’ home once a week to share friendship and keep a tradition alive. The membership has changed a bit over the years, but the Quilting Guild is still going strong with eight current members and years of experience between them.
“I’ve always sewed clothes and costumes,” Lois Provence said. “I had a great-aunt who lived next door, and she was a seamstress. She lived to be 104 years old, and the last dress she sewed, I think she was about 80. I started quilting at 62. I enjoy quilting.” While Emmylou Ashley and Charlene Theisinger look over a quilt the relative newcomer Cara Finney has finished, the other ladies discuss the quilts they’ve made over the years – trip around the world, snowball, bear’s claw,
Inside The spooky history of Halloween See Page 2
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dahlia – while they catch up on news and events with each other and share anecdotes on past projects. “I know I started Jennifer’s quilt when she was born and that was 1974, and I didn’t finish it for 17 years,” said Jean Danz. “That was about the time I started quilting again.” “You were working on a ‘snowball’ quilt when I came here,” Theisinger said.
See Quilting Guild Page 3