On 2-7-10 at approximately 1:03 AM Illinois State Police District 7 Troopers responded to a single vehicle crash. A Black 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix GT, driven by Brandon A. Swise (M/W, 22 of Fairview, IL), was east bound in the 1200 block of Knox Highway 29 (Near London Mills, IL). Swise lost control of the vehicle and exited the roadway to the left. The Pontiac struck an embankment and rolled over. Swise and his passenger Shawn W. Hilligoss (M/W 22, of Maquon, IL) were both ejected from the vehicle. Swise was pronounced dead on scene. Hilligoss was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital, Galesburg. Hilligoss’s injuries were not believed to be serious. The Pontiac came to rest in the center of the roadway on its roof. Alcohol was a factor. Seatbelts were not in use. All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

The Henry and Stark County Health Departments would like to inform area residents that our offices, Route 78 South, Kewanee and 103 1st St., Colona will be closed on Monday, February 15th in observance of the Presidents Day Holiday. However, limited home health and homemaker staff will be working on those days to provide necessary in-home care. For more information, call the Health Department at 852-0197 or 792-4011 (Henry) or 852-3115 (Stark). All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

The Galva Arts Council will feature the Galesburg group No Reason at its Saturday, February 13 coffeehouse. The band plays atmospheric, folk-pop music from a diverse range of artists including Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, David Bowie, REM, Radiohead, Cat Stevens, Crowded House and Crosby Stills Nash and Young, to name just a few. No Reason also performs original compositions. The founding musicians of No Reason (Jon Wellerdieck: guitar, vocals and viola; and Dan Yasenko: vocals, percussion and guitar) perform material spanning four decades. The addition of Jim Lindberg (resophonic guitar), George Mehall (guitar and vocals) and Tammy Rankin (vocals and mandolin) to the group has added depth and detail to the ensemble’s sound. Doors open at 7:00, with the featured performers set to begin at 7:30. An open mic segment will follow the featured act. A wide array of Valentine’s Day chocolate treats, as well as fine coffees and other food and refreshments are available. There is no cost for admission to the council’s monthly coffeehouse, but donations are gratefully accepted. The Galva Arts Council coffeehouse is located in the arts council building on Exchange Street across from Veteran’s Park in downtown Galva. (note to out-of-town visitors: the building is just north of the tracks on U.S. Route 34/Illinois Route 17.) Named best all-volunteer arts council in the state of Illinois, the Galva Arts Council is currenltycelebrating 20 years of bringing the arts to the hearts of Galva. The coffeehouse series is in its 17th season. For more information, contact coffeehouse host John Sloan at 309-932-2413 or jsloan927@yahoo.com/ All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Morris Press Cookbooks Announces Contest Winners KEARNEY, NE (January 18, 2010) – Scott Morris, president of Morris Press Cookbooks in Kearney, Nebraska, announced the national winners of the 10th Annual Morris Community Cookbook Awards. Morris Press Cookbooks, the leading publisher of community cookbooks, publishes millions of cookbooks every year as keepsakes and fundraisers for churches, schools, organizations, and families. The awards recognize organizations that created cookbooks in 2008 or 2009 as fundraisers for worthy causes. Since the contest’s inception 10 years ago, over $75,000 has been awarded to groups for their outstanding cookbooks and fundraising efforts. The first-place winner of $5,000 is A. Lincoln Cookbook – A Cookbook of Epic Portions, created by volunteers at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois. The cookbook includes over 600 recipes, with an entire section devoted to Lincoln-era dishes. Along with delicious modern dishes, the judges were impressed with the cookbook’s cover and dividers, which feature artifacts from the Lincoln family kitchen. Judge Dawn Saxton, Co-Founder and VP of Product Development of Specialty's Cafe & Bakery commented, “I really love the ongoing use of cutlery and place setting to reinforce the themes of each section.” The proceeds from sales of the A. Lincoln Cookbook, which debuted in October 2008, help support the volunteer program at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. The $39.99 cookbook may be purchased in the Museum Gift Shop or on-line at www.presidentlincoln.org. Winning the $2,000 second-place award is Paws to Celebrate from the Greater Birmingham Humane Society Auxiliary of Birmingham, Alabama. The bold, fun-loving artwork on the cover and dividers easily caught the judges’ attention, while the recipes, including treats for pets, held their interest. “Being a pet owner myself, I really like this cookbook,” said judge Robert Cano from Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School. “I made the ‘Bacon Bow Wows’ for my dog – he loved them.” Judge Mark Aker, Corporate Executive Chef for Swiss Chalet Fine Foods/Haco Swiss, said, “My kids love animals – this is a great book for them.” Grossing over $30,000, Paws to Celebrate proceeds continue to support the humane society. The third-place winner of $1,000 is Culinary Classics, created by the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Association of Faculty & Friends in Hershey, Pennsylvania. With over 500 tasty recipes, Culinary Classics easily lives up to its name. Judges enjoyed the variety of recipes, including the many gourmet, comfort food, and international dishes. The cover features a sunflower as the symbol for palliative care. Judge Diana McMillen, Senior Food Editor for Midwest Living magazine, said, “The bright, colorful cover grabs your attention, and people would like the recipe collection. It’s very approachable.” Cookbook profits of over $29,000 support the medical center’s Palliative Care Department. “This was an exceptional year for our contest,” said Tamara Omtvedt, Director of Marketing & Development at Morris Press Cookbooks. “We received a great number of outstanding cookbooks, and the hard work and dedication of each group was apparent with every entry. We wish to congratulate every group on their fundraising success. They are all winners!” To learn more about the annual cookbook contest and the 2009 winners and finalists, visit the company’s web sites, www.cookbookawards.com and www.morriscookbooks.com. All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) has taken the first step in significantly reforming the delivery of care to the most vulnerable populations covered by the Medicaid Program. HFS has issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking two managed care organizations (MCOs) to provide adults with disabilities and older adults in the Medicaid program the full spectrum of Medicaid covered services through an integrated care delivery system. The first phase of the program will focus on traditional medical services with later phases coordinating long term care. The pilot program will affect approximately 40,000 individuals in suburban Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kankakee, Lake, and Will Counties. “Linking clients to integrated delivery systems will encourage greater coordination and preventive care between primary, specialty, home and community based providers,” said Healthcare and Family Services Director Barry S. Maram. “The premise is that good preventive care and coordination of that care among all providers based on a shared treatment plan will produce better treatment of common chronic ailments – like asthma, diabetes and congestive heart failure – and will provide better outcomes, improve quality of life and reduce costs.” An integrated care delivery system brings physicians, hospitals, nursing homes and other service providers into a network connected with electronic medical records and other coordination processes. Care is organized around an individual’s needs in order to improve health and quality of life outcomes for the state’s most disabled and frail citizens, while assuring the efficiency and effectiveness of state resources. Another feature of the program, to be phased in next year, is to provide individuals with disabilities the support they need to live more independently in the community. The goal of the program is to give individuals with disabilities a greater voice in designing the care plan they need. HFS will tie some of the compensation to the MCOs to their performance on nationally recognized pay-for-performance measures. In turn, the MCOs will be expected to reward hospitals, physician practices and other providers with incentives based on performance and positive health outcomes. Enrollment with a managed care organization will be mandatory for beneficiaries in the selected counties, while promoting active consumer choice. Once HFS evaluates the effectiveness of the new approach, the department will determine whether it should be employed in other parts of the state. 135**10 Michael Gelder, Senior Healthcare Policy Advisor to Governor Quinn, pointed to statistics from the current Medicaid program that demonstrate the great potential of this pilot program to improve enrollees’ health. • Research shows that patients who have coordinated follow-up care, such as a visit with their doctor within two weeks of a hospital discharge, have significantly lower readmission rates. Current data shows that only 21 percent of patients in the target group saw their doctor within two weeks of discharge. • Only 36 percent of patients with congestive heart failure are on an appropriate medication regimen. • Twenty-five percent of diabetics do not have their blood sugar tested even once a year. “Integrated care is designed to address these shortcomings in the current delivery system,” Gelder said. The pilot project is expected to save taxpayers close to $200 million in its initial five-year period. If successful, HFS will identify other areas of the state where this model can work. Potential bidders can find more information on the managed care RFP, at the Illinois Procurement Bulletin at www.purchase.state.il.us All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

The Kewanee Fire Department was recently awarded a grant in the amount of $369,000. Kewanee Fire Chief Tom Weston says that the city will only need to put up $70,000 to get the matching funds… Click Here For Audio: Chief Weston adds that the grant will fund new communications equipment that will be necessary for the new technology of today and tomorrow… Click Here For Audio: Chief Weston also says that some 13 departments in all within a four county area will participate in the grant funds and the equipment the grants will provide… Click Here For Audio: That’s Kewanee Fire Chief Tom Weston All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Kewanee Hospital Cardiopulmonary Services is pleased to announce the availability of LifeStar ACTTM Wireless Ambulatory Cardiac Telemetry. This 30-Day Cardiac Event Monitor is used to detect abnormal heart rhythms. The small device records your heart's electrical activity (rhythm) at the push of a button. You trigger the device when you first begin to feel signs of an "event" such as: • Dizziness • Weakness • Lightheadedness • Heart racing and /or fluttering The monitor records your heart rhythm and transfers the information recorded into a telephone device for review by technicians on the other end automatically without you having make calls or transfer data yourself. This test allows for on-demand heart monitoring outside the hospital/clinic setting when symptoms are noted and as you go about your normal routine. The test results help guide your doctor to choose treatment options to meet your specific needs. The monitor, which is smaller than a deck of cards, is worn around your neck or taped to your side. It is connected to a set of wires which attaches to electrodes worn on your chest (like an EKG) and can be worn for up to 30 days. It is removed during bathing. You are provided with enough new electrodes to change daily or as needed. The monitor is Medicare approved. Results are directed to your physician for interpretation as your events arise. Kewanee Hospital Cardiopulmonary Services also offers a 24-hour continuous heart monitor, if your physician believes your symptoms are frequent enough to be diagnosed by this type of heart monitor. Talk with your healthcare provider to determine if you could benefit from this new service. For more information, contact Holly Hicks, Director of Cardiopulmonary Services at Kewanee Hospital, at 309.852.7570. All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White has awarded Fiscal Year 2010 Illinois Public Library Per Capita and Equalization Aid Grants totaling nearly $12 million to 612 public libraries serving 11.6 million patrons. White said he was pleased to be able to award the grants even though lawmakers made significant cuts to the grant program during last year’s legislative session. “The State of Illinois is facing a multi-billion dollar budget deficit, and cuts were made to the FY 2010 budgets of every Illinois constitutional officer, my office included,” White said. “My original FY10 budget request included an increase in library funding. Unfortunately, the General Assembly's budget process resulted in severe cuts to programs such as the Public Library Per Capita and Equalization Aid Grant Program.” In order to minimize the impact of these reductions on this very popular and important grant program, White made the decision to replace some of the reduced funds with money the Illinois State Library receives from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Per Capita Grant funding helps ensure that public libraries have some of the most important resources they need to address the needs of their patrons. Libraries count on Per Capita Grants for expenses such as paying for material, personnel, equipment, electronic access, telecommunications and technology. Equalization Aid Grants are important because they help public libraries which have a low library tax base, and help ensure a minimum level of funding for library services. “I am extremely proud of the outstanding service Illinois’ public libraries provide to our communities,” White said. “They have helped patrons enormously during these difficult economic times by providing free Internet access, e- mail, books, CD’s DVD’s and other materials. Offering such service reinforces my belief that libraries are truly cornerstones of our communities.” All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

The USA took a first step toward building a national high-speed rail network when the Obama administration announced the winners of $8 billion in grants for rail-building projects Thursday. "We want to start looking deep into the 21st century," President Obama said at a town hall meeting in Tampa. "There's no reason why other countries can build high-speed rail lines and we can't." Thirteen existing rail corridors in 31 states will receive funds. The big winners: California, Florida and Illinois. High-speed rail advocates, who have seen the U.S. fall far behind Japan, France and China in developing fast passenger trains, were elated. They acknowledge, however, that intercity high-speed rail is still a long way away. "We're in the very beginning stage of seeing that happen," said Rick Harnish, executive director of the Midwest High Speed Rail Association. "It's a small first step, but it's an exciting first step." He cautioned that the U.S. has taken a similar first step before but did not follow through. Harnish said the world's first train built to cruise at 150 mph was developed in Chicago in 1967. John Robert Smith, co-chairman of Transportation for America, a coalition of highway safety, conservation and other groups advocating less use of cars, said a high-speed rail network could be completed in two decades. "China is spending $500 billion over 20 years to do it, Smith said. "If this country has the vision to follow through on the president's vision, we will have the high-speed rail network, and we can have it in 20 years." He said much of the grant money will be used to upgrade existing track and signaling systems, improve crossings and do other work to prepare for high-speed rail, and that the important second step will be congressional approval of funds to move the projects forward. "I don't believe it's a pipe dream," said Anne Canby, spokeswoman for OneRail, a coalition of Amtrak, freight and passenger rail associations, unions and others. "They're clearly seeding some future projects." State and local government agencies engaged in an intense competition for the grants. Vice President Biden said in Tampa that the Department of Transportation got $55 billion in requests for the $8 billion. He said DOT officials selected communities that were furthest along in planning and picked proposals in existing corridors "where we can increase the mileage (speed) enough that it makes a difference in congestion." Responding to Republican accusations of politics in the selection process, Biden noted that two of the largest grants — $2.9 billion to California and $1.8 billion to Florida — went to states with Republican governors. Rep. John Mica of Florida, the ranking Republican on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the projects are unlikely to yield true high-speed rail. "The Midwest routes chosen will only achieve a top speed of 110 miles per hour and were selected more for political reasons than for high-speed service," he said. "The last thing the American people need is another bailout program with low-speed trains to nowhere." The Obama administration is promoting the grants as a jobs powerhouse, promising they will create or save tens of thousands of jobs. Andrew Goetz, a professor at the Intermodal Transportation Institute at the University of Denver, said development of high-speed rail would have long-term economic benefits but wouldn't be "a panacea" for short-term job creation. "It is unrealistic to expect that beginning a high-speed rail program will solve the unemployment problem," he said. Although the administration is promoting the proposed projects as high-speed, most of the money is going toward projects whose trains won't approach the speeds of trains in Europe and Asia, which run 200 mph or more. However, the fastest would be in California: an express train between San Francisco and Los Angeles that would reach top speeds of 220 mph. Some grant recipients are working on systems whose trains would reach top speeds of 110 mph, others with speeds no faster than 79 mph. Goetz said the USA is not yet ready to manufacture high-speed rail components. "Right now, most of that technology is found in Europe and Asia," he said. He suggests that American manufacturers might form partnerships with foreign companies the way U.S. automakers did with Japanese car companies to make gas-saving automobiles in the 1980s. However, Robert Furniss of Bombardier Transportation, which built trains for Amtrak's Acela Express and very high-speed trains for systems in Europe and China, said the capacity does exist here. "The problem with the passenger rail business has been lack of demand," he said. All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Illinois Department of Natural Resources Director Marc Miller announced today announced $16.9 million in grants for 49 park development and land acquisition projects throughout Illinois. Director Miller made the announcement at the Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD) annual conference in Chicago. “These grants will help create a better quality of life in many communities throughout Illinois, while also creating jobs in this tough economy,” said Governor Quinn. “By investing in parks and playgrounds, we are also investing in the lives of children and families who need more opportunity to play outdoors.” Forty-nine projects are being funded statewide through the 2010 Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) program facilitated through Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). Of those, nine projects will result in the purchase of new land for future open space use and 40 will focus on outdoor recreation development. Outdoor recreation projects include (some projects fit into multiple categories): • 15 development projects for facilities that promote environmental and wetland studies, • 9 projects that will provide initial recreation development of park sites for their respective communities, • 20 development projects that will provide new playground equipment, • 7 projects that will create water based recreation by constructing access to lakes, rivers or streams. • 10 projects that will include water play features known as “spraygrounds”, and • 6 projects that will provide in-line skating/roller hockey or skateboard areas. “This money will help communities further the overall goal of leaving no child inside,” said IDNR Director Marc Miller. “These projects will offer a wide variety of activities for everyone to enjoy the outdoors.” This $16.9 million combined with the grantees’ minimum 50 percent share will result in more than $33.8 million of local acquisition and development projects to enhance the quality of life in Illinois. The amount awarded each year for the OSLAD program is based on the condition of the housing market, because the grants are funded through a percentage of the real estate transfer tax. For a complete list of projects, please visit www.dnr.state.il.us All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Congressman Phil Hare (D-IL) today voted for legislation that requires Congress to pay for any new spending or tax cuts, a process known as Pay-As-You-Go or PAYGO. The bill now heads to the President’s desk. If signed, any increase in spending will have to be offset by spending decreases elsewhere or by finding additional revenue. Likewise, any tax cuts will have to be accompanied by decreases in spending because of that lost revenue. “The days of excessive borrowing, wasteful spending, and massive tax cuts must come to an end,” Hare said. “PAYGO provides us the best opportunity to return to fiscal sanity so we do not pass our bills onto our children and grandchildren.” In the 1990’s, the Clinton Administration turned the deficits it inherited into record surpluses. A large factor in that economic turnaround was the adoption of PAYGO rules by Congress. In 2002, Republicans allowed PAYGO to expire, turning record surpluses into record deficits in order to push through tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. On regaining the Congressional majority in 2007, Democrats made PAYGO a part of House rules. This bill would strengthen PAYGO by giving it the force of law. “We have wisely and appropriately spent a great deal of federal money over the last year in order to save our economy from a depression,” Hare said. “As we begin to recover, reducing the deficit must be a top priority. Making PAYGO the law of the land will help us achieve that goal.” All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Financial planner Martin Kurtz, CFP®, AIFA®, president of the The Planning Center, has begun his three-year term leading the Financial Planning Association® (FPA®), a national organization with 25,000 members. During 2010 Kurtz will serve as president-elect of the organization and becomes president in 2011 followed by chair of the board in 2012. Kurtz has been a member of FPA (and its predecessor organization) for 15 years and has served on the FPA of Quad Cities board of directors. He founded his fee-only financial planning firm in 1998, which serves nearly 175 families. The Planning Center is nationally known for its innovative processes including their First Step approach to managing cash flow, now licensed by nearly two dozen financial planners nationally with a total client base of 700 users. "Marty is one of the thought leaders in the financial planning profession. He's out front leading in nearly every evolution the financial planning profession has undergone," said FPA member Rick Kahler, president of Rapid City South Dakota's Kahler Financial Group. "Marty is not only a leader, but also works with clients every day. He has the heart of a planner and the thought leadership of a visionary." While Kurtz and the FPA will remain active voices in debate and development of financial services reform, Kurtz says one of his main objectives is to build a national passion for financial planning and how it impacts and changes people's lives. "Now it's time to get back to the consumer," he says. "The industry has a lot of trust rebuilding to do. The purpose of our work is to make the client number one and that their wishes should be our wishes." Kurtz says his focus for the next year is listening and observation as he participates in FPA executive committee calls and industry coalitions, and engages with other consumer federations and his own firm's clientele. "Marty's passion along with progressive thinking makes him the perfect person to lead our profession as we come to terms with economic, societal, and professional changes," notes FPA member Michael Haubrich, president of Racine, WI's Financial Service Group. "From the moment I met Marty, I was overwhelmed by his passion for our profession and his clients." Besides his FPA involvement, Kurtz was chair of the Board of Professional Review for Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards in 2005 and is a board member of Money Quotient. Kurtz is also active in the local Quad Cities community. He is Chair of the Development Committee of Ballet Quad Cities and a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, About The Planning Center The Planning Center is an independent, fee-only financial planning firm with offices in Moline, Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. For more information, visit www.theplanningcenter.com. You can reach Kurtz directly at 309-797-4030. All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

The woman found dead at a Central Illinois State Park over the weekend has been identified. The "Peoria Journal-Star" reports 53-year-old Theresa Hunt of Evanston was found on a trail in Starved Rock State Park near Lasalle after disappearing on January 29th. Conservation police coordinated a multi-agency search party after they were tipped off that Hunt may be in the park. No immediate cause of death was given, and it's not known whether foul play is suspected in the death. An autopsy will be performed this week. All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Another round of heavy snow is expected to blanket Illinois this week. Much of the state is under a winter storm warning or watch, which will remain in effect through tomorrow evening. The National Weather Service says some parts of Illinois could get up to eight inches of snow between now and tomorrow night. Snow is expected to move into areas west of I-55 this morning, spreading east throughout the day. Most of the accumulation will occur today, but blowing and drifting snow could be a factor tomorrow. Along with the snow, winds out the northwest are expected to gust up to 30 miles per hour. Parts of the state have been placed under a flood watch or warning as well. All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Amidst allegations of domestic abuse, Scott Lee Cohen has dropped out of the race for Lieutenant Governor. Cohen made the announcement last night at a Chicago bar. Top Illinois Democrats pressured the Chicago pawn broker Cohen for days to step aside after details of a 2005 domestic abuse arrest surfaced. The charges were ultimately dropped, but others on the November ticket feared Cohen would jeopardize the party's chances. The ex-girlfriend who accused Cohen of holding a knife to her neck during an argument, later plead guilty to prostitution charges. Cohen maintains he never knew he was dating a prostitute. Cohen's ex-wife also alleged abused against Cohen, and said he abused anabolic steroids while they were married. Governor Pat Quinn, who was ticketed as Cohen's running mate released a statement saying quote, "made the right decision for the democratic party and the people of Illinois." No word on who will replace Cohen as the Democratic Lieutenant Governor candidate. All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Health Savings Account (HSA) is one of the “buzz words” in health insurance today. It is a great way to reduce your income tax on either short form or long form. Other benefits of HSAs include building up substantial amount of tax free money to be used for:

· Office visits

· Prescriptions

· Dental and eye care bills

· Outpatient and inpatient medical treatment

· Certain insurance premiums

You also have the option of using an HSA for retirement purposes (only considered taxable income if not used for medical approved expenses). An individual can contribute up to $3,050 in 2010 and a family can contribute up to $6,150 per year. Deductibles can vary from $1,200 to $11,900, and are doubled on most family policies. There is also a catch-up provision for people age 55 and older, which was set at $1,000 in 2009.

The HSA is available in either an individual or group insurance policy. Individual policies will be less expensive, as the insurance companies can choose whether or not to accept your risk. Whoever contributes the money to the HSA bank account gets the tax deduction, but only the owner of the HSA bank account is the one who can spend the money.

In addition to the HSA insurance premium, one should put money into the bank HSA account on a regular basis. By building up your HSA bank account, you then have the option of increasing your deductible to keep future insurance premiums to a minimum. There is a significant difference in premiums on individual HSA policies. Check with a professional who is a member of the Illinois Health Underwriters Association for details.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kim Smith

Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA) director Charles Johnson announced that oral history is this month’s theme for the year-long campaign 2010: Year of the Engaged Older. Director Johnson is leading a statewide initiative to improve the health and lives of older adults and increase their involvement in volunteering, education and working. Out of the initiative came a year-long campaign for the year 2010 to engage citizens, especially those ages 50 and older, and tap their talents to benefit their communities and the entire state. Each month of the year will offer a theme with the purpose of creating stronger connections among the generations. Log on to www.law.siu.edu/GenServeGen for information or ideas.

“Documenting history can be as simple as talking to family members about the things they remember. Or it can be more elaborate by documenting stories by date, place and time. Either way it’s important to have the input of older adults to document our history.” said Director Johnson.

One such elaborate oral history project is presented by the Center for Creative Aging at Harold Washington College, in Chicago. The exhibit is on display through February 5 and features eight Chicagoans with vivid memories of the Great Depression who tell their stories on videotape in a project called “Hard Times, Yesterday and Today: Living Chicagoans’ Experience of the Great Depression and the Current Recession.”

Jacquelyn A. Mattfeld, Ph.D., is the director for the Center for Creative Aging. She says it’s important to document our stories and to use them as a learning tool.

“Through this oral history project we wanted to tell the stories of how people survived through this country’s worst economic crisis and we wanted to focus on lessons can they teach us today about survival, resilience and hard work,” Mattfield said.

The oral history exhibit is one example of activities that will be planned this month across the state.

The team of dedicated professionals in Illinois who have been working to map out the best strategies to get older adults involved in community and to encourage more interaction between the generations include representatives from the Illinois Department on Aging, Intergenerational Initiative-SIU School of Law, AARP, Serve Illinois Commission, Retirement Research Foundation, Corporation for National and Community Service, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Senate Higher Education Committee, Illinois Community College Council of Presidents, Chinese American Service League, Illinois Association of Area Agencies on Aging, and McCormick Foundation.

For more information about program services to assist older adults in Illinois and their caregivers, call the IDoA Senior HelpLine at 1-800-252-8966 or for TTY (hearing impaired use only) call 1-888-206-1327.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kim Smith

The Galesburg Civic Art Center is proud to present an exhibition of works by local photographer, Tom Foley, entitled Helena and Hopson.  The exhibition will be on display Friday, February 5^th thru Saturday, March 6^th in the Galesburg Civic Art Center’s exhibition gallery.  An opening reception will take place on Friday, February 5^th from 6-8pm.  The reception is free and open to the public and the artist will be in attendance.

Tom Foley learned how to take photos with his father, Bill Foley, at the age of ten.  His first camera was a used Yashica twin lens reflex camera.  Forty years later, he still enjoys taking photos and does so almost every day.  He still lives in his hometown of Galesburg, Illinois after graduating from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1976.  For over thirty years he worked as a salesperson at his father's camera shop, Midwest Photo Service. 

In 2001, he opened Foley Photo Studio with his wife, Carla Markwart.  They live with their son, Gordy (who just turned 12), in an apartment above the studio in a 100 year-old building in downtown Galesburg. It was formerly the Brown's Business College.  His black and white darkroom is in the basement. 

He has taught photography classes at Midwest Photo Service, Monmouth College, Carl Sandburg College, School District 205 and Knox College for Kids. He bought his first digital camera in 2001, but his current favorite is a medium format film camera, the Mamiya RB 67.

Tom will be giving a gallery talk on Thursday, February 18^th at 7pm in the Art Center gallery.   The talk titled “Where is Helena and What is Hopson?”, will shed light on Tom’s new work.  The public is invited to attend and the event is free.

The Galesburg Civic Art Center is open Tuesdays through Fridays, 10:30 am - 4:30 pm and Saturdays, 10:30 am - 3:00 pm.  For more information, please contact the Galesburg Civic Art Center at 114 E. Main St., Galesburg, IL  61401, (309) 342-7415 or e-mail us at info@galesburgarts.org.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kim Smith

The 1885 Lemont Quarry Strike, Civil War Soldiers’ Homes, and the Chicago Company’s Pikes Peak Gold Rush success story are featured in the latest issue of the Journal of Illinois History, a scholarly publication about the state’s history.

        In April 1885 the town of Lemont on the Cook-Will County border was seized by the conflict that had been brewing nationwide between the forces of industry and labor.  Thousands of area limestone quarry workers walked off the job that month to protest wage reductions.  The work stoppage turned deadly when Illinois National Guardsmen set upon a crowd of workers and residents, resulting in four deaths.  The “Lemont Massacre,” as it was called, proved to be a significant episode in the Illinois labor movement and combined with other episodes helped bring about true labor reform in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries.  The article was written by James R. Anderson of Homewood, Illinois, a graduate student in history at DePaul University and Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer for the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County.

        The Civil War military establishment seemed disinterested in what happened to soldiers once they were separated from their regiments as they made their way to and from home for mustering in, furlough or discharge.  Soldiers faced serious dilemmas if they missed their transportation connections or had no food, money or a place to stay.  Local soldiers’ aid societies tried to meet the needs of these huge numbers of soldiers through soldiers’ homes that served this transient population.  These homes used existing structures across the state and provided food, a place to rest, and assistance to soldiers from any regiment and served from just a handful to hundreds at each location.  The article was written by Glenna Schroeder-Lein, Ph.D., manuscripts librarian at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and author of several books and articles about Civil War medicine.                                       

        No sooner had Chicago newspaper headlines in the summer of 1858 announced gold discoveries in the vicinity of what is now Denver, than a band of prospectors from the city packed up and headed west.  Organized as the Chicago Company, they became central figures in the famed 1859 Pikes Peak Gold Rush.  Although it is difficult to determine how much the members of the Chicago Company made by prospecting gold, evidence indicates they fared much better than most of the thousands of people who caught “gold fever” and rushed to Colorado.  One of the company’s finds was named the Chicago Creek discovery, now a tourist attraction and popular hiking trail to Colorado’s high country.  The article was written by Robert E. Hartley, author or co-author of seven books on Illinois history and politics.      

The Journal of Illinois History is the foremost publication for readers who value documented research on the state’s history, and features articles, book reviews, essays and bibliographies that have been reviewed by some of the country’s leading historians.  The Journal is published by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (www.Illinois-History.gov).  Subscriptions are $18 per year for four issues.  To obtain a sample copy, contact:  Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, Publications Section, 1 Old State Capitol Plaza, Springfield, IL  62701, or call (217) 524-6045.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kim Smith

Democratic comptroller candidate Raja Krishnamoorthi has conceded the race to his opponent, State Representative David Miller.  The Peoria native mad the announcement late yesterday.  Krishnamoorthi trailer Miller by about seven thousand votes with 99-percent of precincts reporting.  Miller will face off against political veteran Judy Baar Topinka in the November general election.  Topinka beat out William Kelly and Jim Dodge for the Republican nomination.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kim Smith

  The turnout for Tueday's primary election was expected to be low.  But some predict that the turnout could get close to - if not break - a state record.  The average turnout for a primary in a non-presidential election year is around 37-percent.  But most estimates put Tuesday's turnout between 25 and 30-percent.  Four years ago, the state reported one of its lowest turnouts with only 25-percent of the vote.  Some blame the turnouts for the too-close-to-call results in the gubernatorial elections from both parties.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kim Smith

A Peoria man has been indicted for the January murder of his wife.  The "Peoria Journal Star" reports that 42-year-old Clarence Thomas allegedly stabbed his wife to death in a car while coming home from a restaurant.  A witness in the car said Thomas pulled over the car and began striking his wife, Martha Thomas.  The witness only realized she had been stabbed when she saw blood after Thomas walked away.  He claims his wife was the first one to pull a knife.  Thomas will appear in court today to be arraigned.  If convicted, he faces between 20 and 60 years in prison.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kim Smith

A Waterloo man faces charges for allegedly stalking a 19-year-old woman he found on the Internet social networking site Facebook.  Waterloo police arrested 27-year-old Joshua Wilson on Tuesday after he was allegedly caught peeking into the window of the woman's home.  Officers say Wilson allegedly offered to buy a neighbor's shoes for 150-dollars to cover his tracks as police followed his prints from the woman's home to a nearby porch.  Wilson allegedly told police that he found the woman on Facebook and then looked up her home address.  He's accused of allegedly traveling to her home four times to look at her.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kim Smith

A group that sends World War Two veterans to Washington, DC is opening a chapter in Cedar Rapids.  The Honor Flight program has offered trips to veterans across the state to see the World War Two Memorial for free in recent years.  The new North Central Iowa Honor Flight chapter will serve veterans in Linn, Jones, Benton, Black Hawk, Buchanan, Iowa, Jones and Tama Counties.  The group hopes to raise enough money for its first flight later this year.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kim Smith

Cedar Falls is being called one of the most distinctive cities in the nation by a national preservation group.  The National Trust for Historic Preservation has named Cedar Falls one of its "2010 Dozen Distinctive Destinations" for having, quote, "eclectic retail and cultural offerings" along with numerous recreational activities.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kim Smith