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VOL. 88 • NO. 21
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Lady Broncos bounce back from loss By Trenten Scheidegger CORRESPONDENT
After suffering a 9-8 loss to Durand on Thursday, May 5, the Orangeville Broncos had a few days off before they were back on the softball diamond for a live game. Five days after the loss, the Broncos were set to face off with
the Stockton-Warren Warhawks. The Broncos were heavily favored in the matchup as the Warhawks came into the game with a record of just 7-8, while Orangeville was 13-5. No matter the opponent, the Broncos remained focused on the task at hand as they looked to make a state-
ment on their home field. After the Warhawks went scoreless in the top of the first, the Orangeville bats immediately went to work in the bottom half. Tessa Janecke led the inning off with a single up the middle. Two pitches later, Megan Holder hit a double to left, driving Janecke in for
Will interest rate hike slow farmland market? By Daniel Grant FARMWEEK
The Federal Reserve approved a rare half-percentage-point interest rate hike this month as it attempts to reel in inflation. The move marked the first time the Fed increased interest rates by .5 percent, or 50 basis points, since 2000. Rate increases often occur by quarter-point increments. It raises the central bank’s benchmark federal-funds rate to a target range between .75 percent and 1 percent. The Fed also announced plans to shrink its $9 trillion asset portfolio starting next month to ease inflation, which jumped 8.5 percent in March—the highest since 1981. Overall, the Fed’s goal with the interest rate hikes is to tamp down demand for goods and services to help ease inflation. It previously boosted rates by 25 basis points in
March. But will higher rates also slow the farmland market? Ray Brownfield, designated managing broker/owner of Land Pro LLC based in Oswego, isn’t necessarily sold. He looks for commodity prices to remain strong, due in part to a number of supply shocks around the world, and continue to support farmland values. Investors also see farmland as a hedge against inflation. “For those who for various reasons are contemplating the sale of their farmland, the price of their land will most likely remain strong even with higher interest rates,” Brownfield said. “On the other side, investors continue to see the stability of a farmland investment and the continued global need for production from this land.” Land Pro reported recent farmland sales in northern Illinois fetched $18,200 per
acre in Kendall County and $20,100 per acre in LaSalle County in mid-April. Linda Brier, area real estate manager for Farmers National Co., also doesn’t foresee a major downturn in the farmland market any time soon. “As long as commodity prices stay up and there’s still uncertainty with inflation, investors are competing against farmers,” she told FarmWeek just before the latest rate hike. Farmers National Co. recently reported the number of farmland auctions increased 65 percent—the amount of acres sold jumped 106 percent and the value of those auction sales climbed 130 percent in the past six months. This story was distributed through a cooperative project between Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Press Association. For more food and farming news, visit FarmWeekNow.com.
the game’s first run. Meghan Carlisle and Leah Baker then hit back-to-back singles, giving the Broncos a 2-0 lead with runners still in scoring position before the Warhawk defense had gotten an out. Isabelle Talbert and Hanna Broge would each drive in a run before the inning was over, giving Orangeville an early 4-0 lead. The Broncos would match their four-run first inning in the bottom of the second with another four runs. Janecke led off the inning with a double to right field. After stealing third, Janecke would tag up on a sacrifice fly by Holder. Later in the inning, Broge would extend the lead with a two-run single. Sam Mock
would add to it with a double to right field, driving Talbert in to score and putting the Broncos up 8-0 after two. Orangeville would extend their lead to double digits in the bottom of the fifth. Despite getting two quick outs, back-to-back errors by the Warhawk defense would keep the inning alive. Mock took advantage of the extra outs with a single to center field, driving in two runs to go up 10-0. While the Bronco offense was impressive, Orangeville was buoyed by an even more impressive pitching performance. Laney Holland picked up the win in the pitcher’s circle as she held the Warhawks to just one
hit in four innings of work. Holland struck out five and allowed just one walk on the day. Mock led the way offensively, going two for three with three runs batted in. Talbert was two for three with two runs scored and one RBI. Broge went one for three with a run scored and three RBI and Carlisle was two for three with one run scored and one RBI. Altogether, the Broncos combined for eleven hits as they beat the Warhawks 10-0. Two days later, the Broncos were back in action, only this time they were on the road as they traveled to face off with the Oregon Hawks.
See BRONCOS, Page 9
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Learning made fun
SUBMITTED PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing
Pearl City 4th graders celebrated Gold Rush Day after studying the West region. They completed math task cards, a Gold Rush webquest, a Gold Rush escape game, and went mining for chocolate chips in cookies.
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