1 Front Volume 140 No. 41
Friday, December 6, 2013
The Tonica News
Single Copy Cost 50¢
Local ROEs to consolidate By Ken Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
The state of Illinois is once again attempting to save money by passing a law which requires the Illinois State Board of Education to redraw the map of the state’s Regional Offices of Education. The purpose of these offices is to provide support and teacher training for various programs
throughout the state. The new map will take the current 44 regions and merge them into 35. LaSalle County will be affected as it will merge with Putnam and Marshall counties from the current regional office of Putnam/Marshall/Woodford counties. Woodford County has been assigned to the Tazewell/Mason county regional office. “As we move forward
with consolidation, we will continue to focus on service,” LaSalle County ROE Superintendent Chris Dvorak said. “The Regional Office serves in a variety of ways. First and foremost, we work for safe schools. The office trains and retrains bus drivers, the first school staff students meet to begin the day. We work with teachers for licensure, renewal and profes-
sional development; we work to make sure teachers are preparing our students to be successful in life. “Each year we walk through each building making sure schools are safe. Additionally, the Regional Office serves to provide GED instruction, truancy and homeless assistance, oversees the Regional Safe School, completes criminal back-
ground testing, works to license substitutes and paraprofessionals, facilitates ACT preparation programs and continually works to provide shared services.” There will be new regional superintendents elected next year to run each of the new regional offices. Candidates for these new regional offices must file their petitions this month. These posi-
tions are often a target of state cutbacks, as legislatures have enacted legislation in the past with no funding for them. Initially the Illinois State Legislature had ordered local county governments to design the mergers. However they also adopted a failsafe of having the Illinois State Board of Education
See Consolidation Page 4
Deer harvest numbers are down ... so far By Ken Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
This could be a bad year for deer hunting. Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 55,708 deer during the opening weekend of the 2013 Illinois Firearm Deer Season on Nov. 22-24, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). The preliminary harvest total of 55,708 for the first three days of the 2013 firearm season compares with the first weekend harvest of 72,111 deer during the 2012 deer season. The second portion of the firearm season will be Dec. 5-8. For the entire seven-day firearm season in 2012, hunters harvested 99,546 deer in Illinois. In LaSalle County, the drop in numbers resulted in a more than 33 percent decrease in deer harvested, with 588 deer this year compared to 887 in 2012. Weather conditions across the state are being listed as the primary reason for the drop with some parts of the state seeing rain or snow throughout the weekend and high winds and frigid temperatures throughout Illinois. In addition, the bluetongue virus has continued its three-year streak of culling the deer population. Bluetongue, also known as epizootic hemorrhagic disease, has been reported throughout the
See Deer Page 4
Tonica News photo/Dixie Schroeder
Art Foltynewicz wraps a rose bush for the winter in a Tonica resident’s yard. Foltynewicz, who owns his own business — Art’s Home Improvement and General Repair Service — isn’t all about turning a dollar. Instead, Foltynewicz said he was raised to lend a hand to those in need. Consequently, he works with area residents to help them find solutions to their home repair/yard problems, and he’s not above lending a helping hand to those in need.
‘Neighbors helping neighbors’ Foltynewicz raised to help others By Dixie Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
TONICA — Some people are born with it ... the ability to use their hands and become helpful to others. Art Foltynewicz is one of those people. Foltynewicz owns his own business, Art’s Home Improvement and General Repair Service. He performs carpentry, yard work ... the gamut. However in the course of working
in the area, he found there were some who needed help and couldn’t always afford to pay much, if anything. “What I do is for the people who don’t have the advantages that others have,” he said. “They can’t afford a lot of money, if anything, to go out and do repairs. A lot of these people are veterans.” Foltynewicz tries to work with those whose income is smaller to make projects in their homes more affordable.
Vol. 140 No. 41
He starts by explaining costs of materials, and then if available, works out a budget for those who can afford it. “Say a person has $250 for a project. Materials cost $100. I then try to figure out ways that we can get the project done,” he said. Foltynewicz has become somewhat of a resource around the area. People call him with questions on how to do certain things, and he answers them to the best of his abilities. “People will say, ‘How much
do I owe you?’ And I say don’t worry about it,” he said. “These are the people that are often swept aside. I’m not about to let that happen. I grew up in Tonica where neighbors help each other.” Foltynewicz was raised with the old Masonic belief of taking care of each other is always the best way. “If you look at the Masonic beliefs, they also come from the Bible,” he said. “So it’s the Bible’s beliefs as well.”
See Foltynewicz Page 3
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Hammin’ it up in Tonica Pat Ryan talks to the world By Ken Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
TONICA — Tonican Pat Ryan, 65, is quick to credit his amateur radio hobby, and especially the Starved Rock Radio Club, for keeping him out of harm’s way during the Vietnam War. “I’m happy to be a member of the club because I owe it a debt. Back in my early, formative years, I took radio lessons in theory and Morse Code in a storefront that’s no longer here,” Ryan said. “I was very happy to find out that it kept me out of the rice paddies years later because I had skills that the services appreciated. They put me to work in communications and support.” Ryan’s history with ham radio actually started before he was born. One of his maternal uncles was a founder of the Starved Rock organization in 1933 during the early days of radio, and the club continues as one of the oldest known ham radio organizations in the country. It was Ryan’s uncle who brought him into the hobby, and Ryan is currently the editor of the club newsletter. “The unique thing about amateur radio is
Tonica News photo/Ken Schroeder
Tonica native Pat Ryan reviews his mobile ham radio units which he keeps in his truck. Ryan is a member of the Starved Rock Radio Club. there’s no one central thing besides the fact that it’s radio. I have friends who can talk for hours to people who they’ve just met on the air. They’ll get up and have their morning coffee chat sessions with someone on the air rather than at the coffee shop,” Ryan said. “There are others who want to work as many different foreign countries as they can. It becomes like a hunt.” When amateur radio
started, there were no broadcast stations and very little guidance available to use amateur radio. As operators learned more, it became one of the most efficient ways to communicate, since it didn’t depend on a wire to carry the signal. “We called it wireless back then, and it became radio, and now with cell phones and other technologies, it’s gone back to being called wireless, which is ironic to me,”
Ryan said. “A lot of the things that we enjoy today has its roots in amateur radio and amateur technology.” With the large number of cell phones and face-to-face computer communication programs, you might think ham radio is on its way out, but that’s not the case. According to figures from the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL), an international organization of ham operators, the hobby has been expe-
riencing a resurgence of late with more 750,000 ham operators in the United States, at least 10,000 joining in the last six months. Locally, new members to the SRRC are always welcome. “We have our monthly meeting on the first Monday of the month at our clubhouse on Tabor Drive in Leonore. It’s open,” Ryan said. “If it’s a postal holiday, it’s the second Monday. We host examinations. We’re a licensed amateur radio service.”
BEST/NCI Works and IVCC announce grant award As a member of the Central Illinois Regional Manufacturing Initiative, B.E.S.T. Inc./NCI Works and IVCC are inviting individuals looking for careers in manufacturing and employers seeking job candidates with nationally-recognized safety credentials from the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council to consider participating in the Accelerated Training for Illinois Manufacturing (ATIM) Program.
ATIM is designed to provide accelerated manufacturing training tailored to specific needs of regional employers and is testing ways of providing accelerated services, training and placement of qualifying individuals into available skilled manufacturing jobs as quickly as possible. It offers tuition and other financial assistance to eligible individuals for training in machining, mechatronics (equipment service
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and repair), welding and logistics/inventory. The employer involvement at various points throughout this program will help ensure the training is responding to the regional demand to fill current manufacturing vacancies, and that those who successfully complete the program will be ready for work on Day 1. The $991,321 ATIM grant was awarded to a regional consortium that
includes four local workforce investment boards, seven community colleges and a group of employers covering 25 counties in North Central Illinois. It is now accepting applications Interested individuals and employers in the PeruSterling area should contact either Carrie Folken or Sally Pflibsen at 815-4334550 or at carrie_folken@ best-inc.org or sally_pflibsen@best-inc.org, respectively.
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Pam Furlan, executive director of B.E.S.T. Inc./ NCI Works, and Sue Isermann, IVCC associate vice president for academic affairs, represented their respective entities on the grant’s planning committee. Financial support for ATIM is provided by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity using federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funds.
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3 Obit Records Friday, December 6, 2013 • The Tonica News • 3
Lessons on generosity Former Tonica native teaches charity By Ken Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
GOLDEN, Colo. — Tonica native Robert Clark may have moved on from the Illinois Valley, but there are some lessons he has taken with him. And now, he’s passing those on to his family. “A long time ago I learned from my folks, giving is better than receiving,” Clark said. “I’ve done pretty well for myself, and this is my way of giving back.” Clark and his wife Kathleen created the R.J. Clark Family Foundation, a charitable organization that not only makes contributions to
area charities, but also teaches his children about charity and the value of community support. The Clarks’ grown children and their families work with Foundation Executive Director Rebecca Franciscus to research and review charities and their ability to contribute. Now the foundation is going one step further with the Grandchild Giving Program. “Research shows that kids are ready to make decisions about charitable giving much younger than we think. We had this in mind when we set up the Grandchild Giving Program,” Franciscus said. “The goal is to help educate children about giving in a meaningful and an empowering manner. As a result, we know that the grandkids
will have experiences to draw from as they grow and develop their own charitable decisions.” The program’s participants — Clarks’ six grandchildren and Franciscus’ two children — make donations to charities based on the children’s age, with the younger children allowed $250 to contribute and the older ones $1,000. The children don’t get to just pick a charity out and donate, though. Before they can donate, the children have to research the charity and visit one of their sites. They must think of meaningful questions to ask the charity, and prepare their information for a presentation to the foundation about their choice of charity. The youngest of the children in the program is 5 years
old. So far, charities in the Colorado area the foundation serves are thoroughly receptive of the idea, and have helped the children learn about their work through presentations to the children, including one occasion where the Burn Program at Children’s Colorado gave a presentation to Franciscus’ 9-year-old daughter. “We’re now in the fourth year of the program, and it’s been refreshing to me to see the enthusiasm of the grandkids each year as they prepare for the annual meeting presentations,” said Clark. “Each kid has different interests, and it’s been very rewarding to see that it’s helping to build the feeling of giving in each of their minds.”
“I believe in the small town way of neighbors helping neighbors. That is what we should be all about.” Art Foltynewicz
Photo contributed
TVFD holds monthly meeting TONICA — The annual Tonica Volunteer Fire Department’s (TVFD) town collection report was presented by Treasurer Al Stremlau. Donations are still coming in to support the fire, ambulance and rescue operations. Because of the support of the community, the TVFD remains a non-taxing department. Town collection donations between $100 and $2,000 were received from Big Boys Tire and Service, Cheryl Thompson, Jack and Rita Ashley, Steve Ebener, Elouise Long, Jean Danz, Joyce Marshall, Ron Samolitis, Tony and Jennifer Skinner, Sandra and Tony Skinner, Sally Mareta, Arthur Arnolts, Joanne Wassil, Katherine Dauber, Barry and Christine Lund, John and Nora Suarez, Robert and Lynn Anderson, James and Linda Lock, John and Cassandra Francisco, Henry and Stephanie McClenning, Bernard and Christine Trudeau, Janet Rose, David and Yvonne Downing, Loretta Oliver, Richard and Dolores Foltynewicz, Jerry and Narvella Hiltabrand, LaVerne and Marcia Kreiser, Mid-State Cartage, Inc., D.J. Lijewski and C.A. Broset, June McCleary, Robert and Evalyne Marshall, Robert and Barbara Barr, Roger and Bonnie Naas, Marge Hawley, Jeffrey and Catherine Billig, Dennis and Pamela Ford, Robert and Rhoda Serving Since 1907
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Hobneck, Kathleen Notbohm and Yvonne Shields, James and Theresa Morris, Lynn Ewing-Teegardin, Ted and Annie Lambert, Michael and Linda Supan, William and Evelyn Dart, Steven and Colleen Huska, Roger Siemers, John Felty, Dorothy Clark, Lewis and Bernice Barr, Burdette and Elaine Ford, Gordon and Donna Carls, Robert and Nancy Baer, Jeremy Hillyer, Eugene and Joyce Lesniak, Devon and Carol Zimmerman, Bernard and Patricia Ernat, Marvin and Nancy Miller, DeWayne and Cheryl Beavers, Joseph and Jane Schmidt, Elin Arnold, Bill’s Automotive, Joseph and Laura Trumpinski, Tobias and Mary Miller, James and Vicki Monterastelli and Vic’s Clip N Buzz. Reported calls for the year include three fires, one accident and seven ambulance. Total calls through Oct. 30 are 134. LaSalle County EMA will be hosting Department of Homeland Security training classes titled, “Medical Preparedness and Response to Bombing Incidents” and “Traffic Incident Management.” The memorial service for Peru firefighter Gary Eccles was attended by
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Dave Huss, Derek Keutzer, Brad Keutzer, Kurt Keutzer, Stremlau and Dan Francisco in Pumper 1712. Putnam County Emergency Management Director Jim Goldasich’s memorial service was attended by Rick Turri. Huss and Pumper/Tanker 1716 participated in the Utica Veterans Parade. An EMS training program held at Illinois Valley Community Hospital was sponsored by the OSF Neurological Hospital. The training covered new developments in stroke management and best practices for EMS and the ER. It was attended by Woody Olson and Sue Huss. During Fire Prevention Week the TVFD representatives made classroom visits to several classes at the Tonica Grade School. Safety demonstrations, firetruck and ambulance walk-through, smoke alarm, EDITH drill information and community awareness were covered. The event was attended by Stremlau, Jim Breit, Sue Huss, Derek Keutzer, Alec McCleary and Olson. Francisco attended a 10-hour training involving LaSalle County Area M.A.B.A.S Division 25
Hazardous Materials and Technical Rescue teams along with teams from Division 21 and Division 27. The training exercise was held in Glenview. Its objectives included a review of rapid resource response teams and the assembly of a single task force to assist local authorities with the mitigation of a major incident. LaSalle-Peru High School Area Vocational Fire Science Class was held in Tonica. Teacher Buck Manley, Rick Turri, McCleary, Francisco and Olson reviewed the apparatus and equipment available at the Tonica Fire Department. Turri reviewed the history of the Tonica Volunteer Fire Department with the students. Eighteen students from area communities attended.
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Foltynewicz From Page 1 Recently he went and remodeled a bathroom for a disabled veteran in Ottawa. Foltynewicz put in a new floor, plastered and drywalled. Then he finished it from there. Another project for a man who is 73 years old was to clean up his yard. “That one is my once a week or once every other week project,” he said. Through the years, Foltynewicz has received help from others, so he feels this is a good way to pay it forward. “It was my mom, my dad, my grandparents. All my family has had an influence in how I grew
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up. My Grandma Dorothy worked as a janitor. She was the driving influence in not just my life, but my mothers. When I was in school, I had to keep a C average or above. If I did not, I would have to stay after school, get my tutoring and then work with my grandma. My Grandma Jessie helped me with my tutoring,” he said. With a family base like this, Foltynewicz saw first hand how helping others was the right thing to do in life. He said his belief system as a child has made him into what he is today. “I believe in the small town way of neighbors helping neighbors,” he said. “That is what we should be all about.”
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4 Biz Ag 4 • The Tonica News • Friday, December 6, 2013
Consolidation From Page 1 take over, if the counties could not take it down to the desired target of 35 regions. The goal was to create those regions with at least 61,000 people in each area. Previous to that in March, the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools had given the idea of their own map. However this map would have violated the law as it was written, so the plan was not
Deer From Page 1 Midwest in uncharacteristically high numbers. The virus is usually prevalent during drought years, and although the number of deer found infected is not as high as 2012, they are still higher than normal. That may be because of the unseasonably warm winter last year. The virus is car-
adopted. “As we work towards the July 1, 2015, realignment, we are studying how to best deliver these services to the new region. Our goal is to provide quality service to our constituents. There are great people working at the Regional Office that are happy to assist as needed,” Dvorak said. “As we move toward this consolidation, I welcome any calls or emails to discuss how we can best serve with our re-organization.” ried by the black midge, a small biting fly whose numbers are thinned during hard frosts. Temperatures for the second portion of deer firearm season are expected to be in the teens to the low 20s, although precipitation and winds will be light. Whether the second half’s harvest makes up for the first half remains to be seen.
Food service course offered MENDOTA — A food service sanitation manager certification course will be offered at the Mendota Community Hospital, 1401 E. 12th St., Conference Room C, Mendota, on Dec. 20 and Dec. 21, running from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. A test is at 4 p.m. Saturday. This is a state-approved 15-hour course for the Illinois Food Safety Cer-
tification. All food service facilities are required to have certified managers. Persons who just need to renew their current certification can attend one day of either session for the first five hours. For more information or to obtain registration forms, call David K. Williams at 815-564-5603 or email him at williamsclasses@gmail.com.
Meeting Calendar Dec. 9 7:30 p.m., Lostant Village Board, Lostant Village Hall. Dec. 11 7 p.m., Tonica Grade School Board, Tonica Grade School.
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Local program brightens holidays for seniors This season, holiday shoppers in LaSalle, Bureau, Putnam and Grundy counties can give cheer to area seniors by participating in the Be a Santa to a Senior program. The program – run by the local Home Instead Senior Care office in partnership with local partners, area retailers, volunteers and members of the community – helps ensure isolated seniors receive gifts and companionship during the holidays. This can be a difficult time for many, especially those who live alone or have lost spous-
es and loved ones. An estimated 27 percent of people 65 and older (10.8 million people) are widowed, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Further, the Administration on Aging reports about 28 percent (11.8 million) non-institutionalized people 65 and older live alone. Retailers participating in Be a Santa to a Senior will display Christmas trees from Nov. 19 to Dec. 13 that feature ornaments with seniors’ first names and their gift requests. Holiday shoppers can pick an ornament from
these trees, buy the items listed and return them unwrapped to the store, with the ornament attached. Be a Santa to a Senior trees will be located at: • Handy Foods, 604 W. Main St., Ottawa • Hy-Vee Foods, 1651 Midtown Road, Peru • Sullivan’s Foods, 1916 N. Main St., Princeton • Sullivan’s Foods, 1102 Meriden St., Mendota The local Home Instead Senior Care office will enlist volunteers from its staff, senior-care business associates, nonprofit workers and others to collect, wrap and dis-
USDA announces funding availability for value-added producer grants Grants extend production season and income opportunities for America’s farmers WASHINGTON, D.C. – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced the availability of nearly $10.5 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grants to help agricultural producers enter into value-added activities designed to give them a competitive business edge. “U.S. agriculture is connected to one in 12 American jobs, and value-added products from homegrown sources are one important way that agriculture generates economic growth,” Vil-
sack said. “Supporting producers and businesses to create value-added products strengthens rural economies, helps fuel innovation and strengthens marketing opportunities for producers – especially at the local and regional level.” The funding is being made available through the Value-Added Producer Grant program. Grants are available to help agricultural producers create new products, expand marketing opportunities, support further processing
of existing products or goods, or to develop specialty and niche products. They may be used for working capital and planning activities. The maximum working capital grant is $200,000; the maximum planning grant is $75,000. Eligible applicants include independent producers, farmer and rancher cooperatives, and agricultural producer groups. Funding priority is given to socially-disadvantaged and beginning farmers or ranchers, and to small- to medium-size family farms, or farmer/ rancher cooperatives. The Value-Added Producer Grant program is one of many USDA pro-
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5 Perspective Friday, December 6, 2013 • The Tonica News • 5
The Editorial Page The Tonica News Sam R Fisher
Terri Simon
Publisher
Editor
Youthful reflections It was later in the evening on a Friday night, and the phone rang. I initially panicked a bit. After all, most of my friends were probably doing what I was doing (nodding out on the couch), and any relative who was calling me at that hour was probably in the midst of a crisis. The newspaper was already off the press, so I knew it wasn’t an office call. I almost decided to ignore the call, but the “what ifs” quickly turned my sleepy demeanor into reality. Terri On the other end of the phone was a Simon dear friend who is much younger than I am (probably at least 20 years younger). The sound of his voice made me smile immediately, and we quickly headed into a conversation, as usual, it was an in-depth one. I love that about this friend. While we intersperse small talk with these insightful conversations, I think we both hang up the phone or depart company with a myriad of new ideas swarming our soul. Our friendship is unique. We have passions that are the similar, but on the other hand, we come from two different generations. He is a free spirit, and he reminds me of a place in time in my own life when I would have been classified the same. One thing I really admire about him is that he doesn’t allow the convoluted world to get in his way, and that in and of itself is a breath of fresh air to me. Both of us are in tune enough to know we can only learn from the other, so the age difference between us isn’t an obstacle; instead it compliments our thoughts. I’d like to think we inspire each other — Me: The voice of reason and experience (hard to believe, I know), and Him: The voice of a more a youthful perspective mixed with charisma and the awakenings of life. Our friendship is a good match. I spoke; he listened. He spoke; I listened. The conversation went on and on as the minutes ticked by unnoticed. Our admiration for each other is apparent, and we both know we can say about anything without worrying the other won’t understand. At some point in our chat, we got around to talking about our goals. That’s when I heard myself offering some advice to my young friend. He picked up on my words right away, and before I knew it, despite his much younger age, I realized he was already a few steps ahead of me. We talked about our desires to reach our goals, but we also came to the realization that we must not focus so much on those goals that we forget to enjoy the journey along the way. I offered those thoughts, but he was already ahead of this old gal. He got it. He already understood that concept. Actually, he was already leaps and bounds ahead of me, especially when it comes to relishing the trek toward our target destinations — our goals, rather than being so anxious to achieve those goals that we inevitably lose sight of all the wonderful scenery along the way. My friend appears to enjoy every second of life, and the best part of that is he knows he’s enjoying it while he’s enjoying it. He isn’t racing toward the destination like we tend to do when we get older; instead, he’s living each and every day — really living. He refuses to become so breathless with his race to accomplish his goals that he loses sight of what’s important along the way. He understands that if he gets to his goal and he’s old and completely worn out, it won’t make any difference whether he’s accomplished his goal or not. After several more minutes of conversation and reflection, we both hung up the phone ... I had to assume his smile was similar to mine. I think we all could use a younger friend to help keep life in perspective. I’m sure glad I answered the phone that night ... Tonica News Editor Terri Simon can be reached at tsimon@tonicanews.com. Her recently-published book, “Grandma’s Cookie Jar,” can be purchased at area stores, online at www.boxingdaybooks.com or by contacting Simon.
Letters to the Editor should not be more than 500 words in length. Only one person can sign a Letter to the Editor. The author of the letter must include his/her name, hometown and telephone number. The author’s name and hometown will be published, however, the telephone number is only used to verify the authenticity of the author’s signature and will not be published. Unsigned letters are never read or published. No letter will be published until The Tonica News contacts the author of the letter to verify the signature. The Tonica News reserves the right to edit or refuse any Letter to the Editor.
Did you really give that back? I always count my change while I’m still in line at the gas station or fast food place or wherever. Today when I did it, I found the cashier gave me an extra dollar, so I gave it back to her. The guy behind me looked at me like I was insane as I walked out the door. That happens a lot these days; the cashier hands me too much money, and I give it back (which makes me worry about how well they teach math these days, but that’s another day) to the amazement of those around me. Apparently, honesty is not in vogue these days, and that worries me. “It was only a dollar. Why would you give it back? They’ll never miss it.” I hear that a lot. But someone will find out, and the cashier gets in trouble. But there’s a more important reason why I give it back. It’s simply the right thing to do. These days, money is tight for everyone; You, me, the corner grocer, the state of Illinois (although that one’s their fault) and everyone else outside the 1 percent. I’ll probably miss the dollar a lot more than British Petro-
Ken Schroeder COMMENTARY leum will, but that’s not the point. Keeping the money would be dishonest; you’re pretty much stealing from someone else. Not only would I not want someone to do that to me, I don’t feel right doing it to someone else. Yet we’re always surprised when someone turns in money they found. In the news today, a homeless man who returned a wallet full of money he found in a trash bin is receiving contributions from all over the country, and a local hotel gave him $500 and a place to stay through Thanksgiving. I definitely applaud him for turning it in, and I especially recognize the people sending him donations, but I have to wonder when the act of returning money to someone who lost it became a national news story. We now expect dishonesty from other people. That’s the message I get from this, and it’s frightening.
We’ve gotten used to politicians telling their side of the truth. People wonder why this is true, and the thing to remember is most politicians in major offices started out as lawyers. I’m not saying lawyers lie, but they have to be very creative with the truth sometimes to win their case. That definitely carries over into politics. While there’s a quote often attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, it’s really a summary of a longer passage Mahatma Gandhi once said: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” If you’re looking for more honesty and respect in the world, you have to show it. So, the next time you pay with cash and the person behind the counter gives you too much change, give it back. True, no one is likely to hold a parade for you because of it, but it becomes an occurrence that snowballs the more it happens, and the feeling of goodwill lasts quite a while. Now, if only we could teach the Illinois government basic math ... Putnam County Record Staff Writer Ken Schroeder can be reached at kschroeder@putnamcountyrecord.com.
Heading for higher ground Inadvertently, I have become the willing spokesman for the ever silent minority; those land bound, upright homosapiens who care not to revisit the oceans and seas from whence Darwin hypothesized we came. Assuming our position on the high ground (usually sipping a refreshing citrus and rum concoction while Bob Marley plays in the background), buffered by an endless expanse of sand and rocky beach, we scan the watery horizon for any sign of the known evils lurking beneath the surface. Amid the flotsam and jetsam of eons of maritime tragedies; mixed with the decaying squid carcasses and lifeless jellyfish remains; propelling themselves silently over reefs and through wild currents; the demons of the sea plot their evil and wait ... wait until the day the Earth belongs to them. I, of course, am speaking of dolphins — which much like Justin Beiber, have lured the unsuspecting masses into a false sense of calm, relying on their cuteness and perceived non-threatening demeanor to pull off this charade. Dolphins, those mega-sized sea slugs, with their beady eyes and arrogant smirk and constant chattering laughter, have something up their proverbial sleeve. That is, of course, if they cloaked themselves in a proverbial shirt. Few things are as unsettling to me as a grinning dolphin, unless you include a grinning Don Knotts (I shudder thinking about it) ... who coincidentally, was turned
Chuck Mason COMMENTARY into a dolphin in the now classic 1964 suspense film “The Incredible Mr. Limpet.” Now, let it be said that I am not a follower of crypto zoologists and their far-fetched beliefs, nor am I one of those nutty, reclusive conspiracy theorists. (Though I am of the opinion that in 1997 I witnessed the long suspected deceased Elvis prepping meatloaf at a Cracker Barrel in Macon, Ga.) Despite this, I’ve opined for some time now that dolphins are indeed “up to no good.” They subliminally convince us to gather in large groups at multiple Sea World locations and hand over large amounts of money for seating and merchandise, then proceed to make believable the concept that it’s the humans who’ve trained the dolphins. They jump and flip and splash, mesmerizing in their grace and agility, all the while watching us — and laughing, always laughing. Scientists have long studied and documented the intelligence of these aquatic fiends, compiling colorful charts and multi-layered bar graphs and reams of squiggly sonic readings of their “click and whistle” language, as secretive and indecipherable as the Navajo code talkers of World War II.
The consensus is that these sounds are used to signal danger, find food and keep members of the same pod in contact. But I know better. I imagine a transcript of an actual dolphin conversation would read as follows. First dolphin: “Say, is that a tourist filled pontoon boat over there?” Second dolphin: “You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin?” First dolphin: “Yeah, let’s all skim the surface together, causing all the overweight amateur photographers to shift starboard and perhaps capsize the boat.” Second dolphin: “Ooooo, OK. What fun!” I’m betting dolphins also had a hand (or fin) in creating the additive which makes high calorie, artificially flavored snack type foods so addictive. In addition, dolphins may be responsible for recliners, player pianos, garage door openers, escalators, cars that park themselves, techno music and web dating sites. After all, a sluggish, irresponsible, semi mobile, gasping for breath, unable to think and make decisions for themselves populace would be far easier to overtake when the time for revolution comes. So go ahead, swim in the Gulf and happily applaud when they bounce a beach ball on their snout. I’m heading for higher ground. Chuck Mason, a self-described opinionated wiseguy, can be reached at chuckthebluzguy@msn.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
6 Life 6 • The Tonica News • Friday, December 6, 2013
Menus Tonica Grade School Breakfast Dec. 9 — Breakfast sausage pizza, cereal, yogurt or toast, fruit, juice, milk. Dec. 10 — Mini pancakes, cereal, yogurt or toast, fruit, juice, milk. Dec. 11 — Scrambled eggs, cereal, yogurt or toast, fruit, juice, milk. Dec. 12 — French toast sticks, cereal, yogurt or toast, fruit, juice, milk. Dec. 13 — Bagel with cream cheese, cereal, yogurt or toast, fruit, juice, milk. Lunch Dec. 9 — Chicken fajita tortilla or PBJ, shredded lettuce, carrots, rice, orange slices, cheese cup, salsa, sour cream, salad dressings, milk. Dec. 10 — Hamburger or cheeseburger on a bun, baked beans, carrots, peaches, pickles, ranch, ketchup, mustard, milk. Dec. 11 — Hot ham and cheese on a bun, celery, cauliflower, apple sauce, pretzels, ranch, mayo, mustard, milk. Dec. 12 — Popcorn chicken, green beans, pears, chocolate pudding, ranch ketchup, milk. Dec. 13 — Cheese or pepperoni pizza, Romaine lettuce, carrots, apple slices, salad dressings, milk.
Lostant School holds tornado donation drive LOSTANT — On Nov. 26, a truck load of donations were delivered to the Washington, Ill., tornado victims. Lostant School was able to fill a truck with donations to help out those in need. Donations were accepted at the school Nov. 19-26. Amy Olson, Melissa Einhaus and Patty Bernardoni, teachers from Lostant School, took care of organizing the supplies until they were delivered, and then with the help of some of the eighth-grade class, loaded the supplies into the truck. They were able to collect food, blankets, coats, shoes, clothes, personal hygiene products, infant and children’s clothing and supplies, toys, monetary donations and more. Lostant and Tonica
Putnam County Community Center Dec. 9 — Ham slice with pineapple sauce, sweet potatoes, streamed cauliflower, raisins, wheat bread. Dec. 10 — Baked spaghetti, salad, bread and butter, dessert. Dec. 11 — Salisbury steak with gravy, red diced potatoes, sliced yellow squash, diced peaches, peanut butter crackers. Dec. 12 — Barbecue on bun, cole slaw, chips, dessert. Dec. 13 — Cornmeal breaded pollock, macaroni and cheese, mixed vegetables, banana, citrus juice cup. Putnam County Community Center serves lunch every day, Monday through Friday. Reservations are required 24 hours in advance by calling 815-339-2711. Suggested donations for Monday, Wednesday and Friday is $3. Suggested donations for Tuesday and Thursday is $5.
Tiger Cub Scouts also contributed a monetary donation to the cause. Monetary donations were made at Washington
Community Bank to the Tornado Fund. All other donations were accepted at Highview Church of God in Washington,
which is offering tornado relief to all the victims. For more photos of the donation effort, visit www.lostantcomets.org.
Library Corner
Lostant Grade School Breakfast Dec. 9 — Donuts, cereal, mil, juice, yogurt. Dec. 10 — Biscuit and gravy, cereal, mil, juice, yogurt. Dec. 11 — Omelet, cereal, mil, juice, yogurt. Dec. 12 — Sausage biscuit, cereal, mil, juice, yogurt. Dec. 13 — Breakfast pizza, cereal, mil, juice, yogurt. Lunch Dec. 9 — Sloppy joes, fries, green beans, pears, milk. Dec. 10 — Hot dogs, chips, baked beans, mixed fruit, milk. Dec. 11 — Chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes, corn, peaches, bread and butter, milk. Dec. 12 — Turkey dinner, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, bread and butter, salad, milk. Dec. 13 — No lunch — early dismissal.
Photo contributed
Lostant School held a tornado donation drive for those affected by the tornado in Washington, Ill. Pictured with the items are Deven Peek, Amy Olson, Ben Tran, Austin Larson, Patty Bernardoni, Kindra Shawback, Grace Desponett, Jacob Ritko, Jacob Cabal, Auston Pflibsen and Melissa Einhaus.
LaSalle — Dec. 7 — The LaSalle Public Library will host Hugo Kringle at 11 a.m. Dec. 7. Hugo will sing and play Christmas songs and tell Christmas stories. He will also tell tales of his brother, Kris. Funding for this program is provided by the Alwin C. Trust. Hugo Kringle will be played by dulcimer player and storyteller Mike Anderson. His latest recordings, “The Great Sled Race” and “Anna’s Old Boot,” both won Parent’s Choice Awards. “Anna’s Old Boot” also won a Children’s Music Web Award for Best
Children’s Song 2003. Dec. 10 and 17 — Storytime Express is an interactive mix of stories complemented with a variety of engaging activities like crafts, flannel boards, rhymes, songs and puppets. It is formatted to introduce children to the library and early literacy skills. The shorter, 30-minute length and fast pace make it perfect for active children with shorter attention spans, and the express is a great way for busy parents to share special times with their children. A bit of the program time will be set aside to help families
find just the right books to check-out. Fun and educational, Storytime Express is a free program, open to the public. Storytime Express will be offered from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Tuesdays. For more information, call 815-223-2341. Lostant — Dec. 10 and 17 — Families First, a state funded early childhood grant, is a program for families with children ages birth to 3. It is sponsored by the Oglesby Early Childhood Programs. Children will read stories, sing songs, learn finger plays, do an easy art project and
have a snack. The program also includes field trips and parent education meetings. Families First meets every Tuesday from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Library Time begins at 10 a.m. every Tuesday when school is in session for children birth through school age and a caregiver. Enjoy story time with Miss Sue as well as a craft, music and dance, a snack and various fun activities like puppet play, games, rhythm band and more. For more information, call the library at 815-3683530.
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7 Life Friday, December 6, 2013 • The Tonica News • 7
PC/Hall wrestling starts out season in triangular away meet By Dixie Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
CHILLICOTHE— The Putnam County/Hall wrestling co-op took to the road for a triangular wrestling meet last week versus Illinois Valley Chillicothe and Streator High School wrestling squads. In the first meet, PC/ Hall gave up four weight classes at 106, 113, 126 and 152 pounds. This led to a final score of IVC 52 to PC/Hall with 24 points. Winners for the Panther squad included Dominic Elliot at 120 points by pinfall; Luke McCook at 160 pounds by pinfall; Nathan Tonozzi at 182 pounds by pinfall and Marco Gutierrez at 220 pounds by pinfall. In the second meet of the evening, PC/Hall again had to give up the four weight classes giving Streator four
wins by forfeit as well. Streator took the meet by a score of 56 to 24. Winning by pinfall were Dominic Elliot at 120 pounds; Mario Flores at 132 pounds and Nathan Tonozzi at 182 pounds. Streator gave PC/Hall one win by forfeit as well. Head coach Jerry Kreiwald noted that while the team fell short in these two meets, things will turn around as team members learn to eat sensibly and make their weight class safely. Watching sodium intake is important and eating consistently but not junk food is important during season. The PC/Hall team assistant coach is Joe Rue and volunteer coach is Chris Quigley. The squad hosted its first home meet against Sterling Newman and Amboy on Dec. 5.
LaSalle Public Library hosts Hugo Kringle LASALLE — The LaSalle Public Library will host Hugo Kringle at 11 a.m. Dec. 7. Hugo will sing and play Christmas songs and tell Christmas stories. He will also tell tales of his brother, Kris. Funding for this program is provided by the Alwin C. Trust. Hugo Kringle will be
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played by dulcimer player and storyteller Mike Anderson. His latest recordings, “The Great Sled Race” and “Anna’s Old Boot,” both won Parent’s Choice awards. “Anna’s Old Boot” also won a Children’s Music Web award for Best Children’s Song 2003.
Septic pumping
Making that perfect pie The Marshall-Putnam 4-H held a pie crust project day on Nov. 23 at the University of Illinois Extension offices in Henry. Jessica Urbanowski of the Lostant Leaders taught the participants how to make pie crust. The girls were taught tips on how to roll out dough, place it in pan and create beautiful edges. Each participant made a pumpkin pie to take home and share with their families. Displaying the pies are McKayla Urbanowski (from left), Anna Mattern, Kira Griffin, Hanna Gall and Meghan Jones. Photo contributed
The Compassionate Friends plan candle lighting PERU — The River Valley chapter of the Compassionate Friends is inviting parents who have suffered the loss of a child to its annual candle lighting ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 8 at Illinois Valley Community Hospital, Conference Room A. This event is held
annually on the second Sunday in December. The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting ceremony unites family and friends around the globe as they light candles for one hour to honor and remember children who have died at any age from any cause.
Lostant Grade School to hold food drive LOSTANT – The Lostant School Student Council Food Drive is around the corner. Student Council will once again be collecting nonperishable food for the LaSalle Food Pantry. There will be a small prize for the winning classroom
that collects the most. The drive starts Dec. 9 and runs until Dec. 20. There will also be a collection at the Lostant School Winter Program on Dec. 16. If anyone in the community would like to donate, please bring items with you to the Winter Program.
••• Items for the Community section can be emailed to news@tonicanews.com.
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TUMC hosts blood drive TONICA – The Tonica United Methodist Church, 423 Wauponis St., will host a blood drive from 2:30 to 6 p.m. on Dec.
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8 History/Classified 8 • The Tonica News • Friday, December 6, 2013
PCHS perfect in Wally Keller Invitational Tourney, wins championship By Dixie Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
KEWANEE — In the final night of the Wally Keller Invitational Thanksgiving Tourney at Wethersfield, the championship game brought the Putnam County Panthers with a 4-0 record to face the Bureau Valley Storm with a 3-1 record. This high school tournament was filled with excitement until the bitter end with the Panthers ending up on top by a final score of 73-62. PC 73, Bureau Valley 62 First quarter action had the score tied at 8-8. The Panthers were outscored by seven points in the second quarter and went to the locker room behind the eight ball with a score of 29-22. In the third quarter, Coach Josh Nauman had done his magic and awoke his team as the shooters hit their marks as the pace of scoring picked up. The Panthers were still behind at the end of the third quarter 44-39 and managed to tie the fourth to send it to overtime. In overtime, Bureau Valley went cold while the Panthers, couldn’t miss a basket, making the final score 73-62. PC’s Harold Fay led all scorers with 26 points on the night. Fay was also a terror under the boards pulling down seven defensive rebounds. Austin Biagini supported the team with 17 points including four assists and three steals. Evan Kreiser chipped in 15 points with three offensive rebounds. Alec Veverka added ten points with five steals. Michael Weide came off the bench and chipped in five points with five assists. Parker Neuhalfen had 17 for Bureau Valley. Evan Kreiser was named to the all tournament team. Harold Fay was named co-tournament MVP. The Panthers ended up 5-0 for the week. PC 67, Wethersfield 47 In a game of the undefeated teams on the fourth day of the Wally Keller Invitational, the Putnam County Panthers took on the host Kewanee Wethersfield Flying Geese and came out on top by a score of 67-47. The Panthers started hard and ending the first quarter ahead 15-8. Wethersfield outscored their opponents in the second quarter 14-11 which led the teams to a 26-22 score by halftime. The pace of the game
really went wild in the third quarter when the teams scored 28-18 with the Panthers on top, but the team put the game away for good by the end of the fourth quarter with a 20 point lead. Senior guard Harold Fay led PC with 20 points and had six assists. Supporting Fay’s hot shooting were Kreiser and Veverka with 17 and 14 points respectively. The key to the game included the Panthers’ domination of the boards pulling down 33 rebounds with Veverka hauling down 12 and Kreiser eight. Both Veverka and Kreiser each had three assists too. Two point shooting was what worked for the Panthers with the squad going 19 for 35 from the field. The team also converted free throws at a 65 percent pace, going 11 for 17 from the line. Trevor Lay led Wethersfield with 24 points. PC 63, Elmwood 48 The Putnam County Panthers played the second game of the evening on the third night of the Wally Keller Invitational Thanksgiving tournament on Nov. 27 against the Elmwood High School Trojans. The Panthers handled the Trojans without much difficulty going into the break night of the tournament with a final score of 63-48 for the win. Kreiser led the way again for the Panthers with 18 points on the evening. Kreiser had the hot hand shooting 78 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free throw line. Veverka added 14 points and Biagini added 13 points in the game as well. It was the Panthers’ night at the free throw line as they shot 20 of 24 attempts for 83 percent. The team also shot 17 of 21 attempts from the two point basket range. The Trojans were effective in pressuring the Panther’s offense causing 14 turnovers in the game. The opposition also dominated the boards. Elmwood’s Isaiah Groeper led all scorers with 21 points while Matt Jehle chipped in 12 points. PC 59, Annawan 47 Day two of the Wally Keller Invitational Thanksgiving tournament kicked off in Kewanee with the Panthers facing the Annawan Titans in the first game of the night. While the Panthers got off to a slow start in the first quarter, the game’s outcome was not in doubt as the final score was 59-47 to the Panthers’
advantage. The Panthers’ scoring was down from game one with the team shooting 16 for 35 for two point shots and only five for 12 from the three point circle. However freethrow percentage warmed up with the team shooting 60 percent with them making 12 of 20 from the free throw line. Leading scorer for the team was Kreiser with 14 points on the night. Supporting Kreiser was Biagini with 12 points and Fay with 10 points. The Panthers also had 17 assists with Biagini having seven. The team also had 14 steals with Fay having seven of them. Annawan was led by Ben Foster with 18 points and Marcellous Butler with 14 points. The opening game of the 2013 Wally Keller Invitational kicked off on a winning note for the Putnam County Panthers on Nov. 25. The round robin tournament has six teams participating which include Midland, Bureau Valley, Annawan Wethersfield and Elmwood high schools. PC 69, Midland 49 On Nov. 25, the Panthers kicked off the night versus the Midland Timberwolves in the first game of the day. Took the lead in the game early and went to the locker room with a ten point lead at half time with a score of 32-22. The T-wolves tightened the game up in the third quarter adding 16 points, to the Panther’s 19 points. In the end, however the Panthers held off Midland and finished with a final score of 69-49. Putnam County shot 20 for 35 in two point shots and only seven for 19 in three pointers. At the free throw line, the team shot eight for 15. Leading all scorers was point guard Fay with 23 points, shooting 44 percent from the field in both two and three point shots. Supporting Fay was Veverka with 15 points and Kreiser with 11 points. Biagini had seven assists for the Panthers while DiazDeLeon had three. Defensively Nick DiazDeLeon and Kreiser each had three steals while Veverka had two. Rebounds were led by DiazDeLeon with three. Midland was led by Nick Varvil with 20 points. The Panthers next play two weekend home games with the DePue Little Giants coming in on Dec. 6 and the IVC Grey Ghosts coming in on Dec. 7 to R.M. Germano Gymnasium.
PC/Hall wrestling win tournament Team takes title for second year By Dixie Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
STERLING — The Putnam County-Hall Wrestling Co-op team did it again. For the second year in a row, the Panthers won the 13-team Sterling Newman Catholic tournament. The Panthers took first with 152 points. Coming in second place was Dixon with 145. Third place was earned by Rock Island with 136 1/2 points while West Carroll took fourth with 131 points. Polo place fifth with 119 points. Head coach Jerry Kreiwald was tickled with the results of the tourney. “What a great way to start off the season,” he said. “This has excited the guys to gear up for our first home dual meet on Thursday against Amboy and Sterling Newman at 5:30 p.m. I also want to give special thanks to coach (Joe) Rue and coach (Chris) Quigley for all your dedication to the boys.” The rotation for the tournament started at the 132 weight class. PC-Hall’s Mario Flores took first and went 3-0
in matches during the day. Nathan Diaz placed fifth in the same weight bracket. Diaz went 1-2 on the day. Kreiwald said, “Flores is really starting to evolve as an experienced wrestler.” Newcomer R.J. Copeland made a splash today by taking second place overall in the 145 pound weight bracket. Kreiwald said Copeland learned from any mistakes early and didn’t repeat them. “R.J. really made a statement today in a 12-man bracket going 3-1 on the day. This being his first tournament, he really adapted well and jumped right in. His natural athleticism will do him very well the more technique he learns,” he said. At the 160-pound weight class, Luke McCook showed why he is made of the right stuff by wrestling five matches to take third in his weight class. Kreiwald was enthusiastic in his praise for the wrestler. “McCook went 4-1 for the day. He lost his fist match to the eventual champ and wrestled back to a third place finish with a four match win streak,” he said. “It takes a lot to wrestle two or three matches a day, never mind five. Shows a lot of guts and pride.”
The second overall champion for the day was Cole Elliott. He wrestled at the 170 weight class. Kreiwald noted the focus Elliott displayed as he competed. “He wrestled with determination all day and never let up. What a champ,” he said. The remaining scoring for PC-Hall came from James Hall who placed second in the 195 weight class. Hall held a 2-1 record on the day. Matt Briddick earned a third place finish in the same weight class with an overall 2-2 record. Evan Kiphart also wrestled in the 195 weight class and placed fifth with a 1-3 record. Kreiwald acknowledged all three PC-Hall wrestlers did well. “What a really great group to coach and watch,” he said. The final PC-Hall champ of the day was at the 220 weight class in the form of Marco Gutierrez. With a perfect 4-0 record, Kreiwald said at the heavier weights it is not all about strength. “He was a great demonstration of how technique over takes power. He really out wrestled some beasts,” he said. Also in the 220 weight class first year wrestlers Trevor Case took third and Isaac Marquez took fifth. Kreiwald and the coaches were pleased with their efforts.
Holiday workshop to be held HENRY – The Marshall-Putnam 4-H will be holding a holiday workshop from 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 14. The fee for the workshop is $10 for 4-H members and $15 for non-members to cover
project supplies. Each participant will be able to make several crafts to give as gifts this holiday season. Participants are encouraged to bring a sturdy box to take their completed projects
– Classifieds – General Terms and Policies
- 400 Merchandise
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.
450 • Under $1000
CLASSIFIED LINE AD & LEGAL DEADLINES: • Friday Paper deadline Friday before by 3pm We Accept Call 815-875-4461 classified@bcrnews.com
50lbs of breakfast seasoned, whole hog ground sausage. $3.35 a pound or $167.50 for all. USDA inspected. 815-488-2195 ************ HAVE SOMETHING TO SELL? Put your ad in for FREE Items $1,000 or less can run FREE for 1 time. Limit of 5 lines. Up to 3 items with price and price totaling under $1,000. 1 ad per household per week. No commercial ads, firearms or animal sales. E-mail information to: classified@ bcrnews.com (include your name, address & phone number) No Phone Calls!
home. The workshop is open to all youth ages 8-18. Registration is required; space is limited. To register, call the Extension office at 309364-2356.
999 • Legal Notices
999 • Legal Notices
PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX INCREASE FOR LOSTANT COMMUNITY UNIT SCHOOL DISTRICT NUMBER 425 A Public hearing to approve a proposed property tax levy increase for Lostant Community Unit School District 425, LaSalle County, Illinois, will be
held on December 18, 2013 at 6:45 p.m. at the Lostant School Board Room, 315 W. 3rd St.; Lostant, Illinois 61334. Any person desiring to appear at the public hearing and present testimony to the taxing district may contact Superintendent Sandra Malahy at 815-3683392 or 315 W. 3rd St.; Lostant, Illinois 61334. Published in the Tonica News Dec. 6, 2013.
For rent In TonIca, ILLInoIs
all or Part of 4,500 sq. Feet
815-488-8456
Bob Folty • Box 41, Tonica, IL 61370
