Choosing plants for a container can be intimidating, said a University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator.

“You may think you’re not creative enough or that you don’t know enough about plants,” said Jennifer Schultz Nelson. “But, with a few tips and tricks, you will be designing container gardens in no time. You need to start with the basics.”

First, choose a container that coordinates or complements the color of your deck. Whatever you choose, make sure there is a hole in the bottom for drainage. This sounds really basic, but it is easily overlooked when shopping for a pot.

“If you are going to place your pots in a sunny location, remember that unglazed, clay pots will dry out relatively quickly in the sun,” she noted. “You may wish to choose a glazed ceramic or even plastic pot for a very hot, sunny location. Also, it may be a good idea to choose a larger pot as a larger volume of soil will dry out more slowly than a smaller volume of soil.”

The disadvantage of larger pots is buying enough soil to fill them. It would cost a small fortune to fill some of the giant urns and pots available in stores. And because most annuals develop a fairly shallow root system, around six to eight inches deep, it’s really a waste to have soil two feet deep in a pot. Instead, Nelson suggests placing inverted plastic pots or a plastic bag filled with Styrofoam packing peanuts in the bottom of your pot to act as filler. The pot will be a lot lighter, and you won’t have to invest in soil that your plants never utilize.

“It’s tempting to use your regular garden soil for your container gardens, but don’t,” she cautioned. “Garden soil is much too heavy, does not drain well enough, and may harbor pests and disease. Instead, choose a quality mix labeled as ‘potting’ or ‘container’ mix.”

“These types of mixes are formulated to be sterile, drain well, and are much lighter than the soil in your garden. Many mixes available now come with time-release fertilizer incorporated into the mix, as well as moisture-retaining polymers that slowly release water to your plants after watering.”

One of Nelson’s favorite tips in designing container gardens is that there are three types of plants in a container garden: the thriller, the filler, and the spiller.

“I wish I knew who originally coined these terms as I think they are a great guideline in choosing plants,” she said.

The thriller is the tallest plant in the bunch. It grabs your attention in how it stands above the other plants. The filler is a medium-sized plant that dominates the center area of the pot. The spiller cascades down the side of the pot, drawing attention downward.

“In my experience, container gardens look best when you have at least one of each of these plants in the mix. Also, odd numbers of plants tend to look best.” she said.

“But just because you have a thriller, filler, and spiller doesn’t mean they look good together. You still have to pay attention to color. This is where many people get frustrated. In my opinion, you will have the best results if you keep your color choices simple.”

The simplest method is to choose different shades of one color. Another choice could be a palette of warm colors, which includes red, orange, and yellow. Green, blue, and purple are the cool colors.

“At the same time you are choosing your plants with colors that work well together, keep the plants’ preferred needs in mind,” she said. “Choose sun-loving plants for sunny locations, shade lovers for shady spots. Do not mix shade-loving plants with sun-loving plants in the same pot, or one of the plants will be unhappy no matter where you place it.”

“If you are trying to choose plants for several containers at once, it can quickly get confusing. Group plants for each container together in your cart and ask the cashier to bag or box them together. This increases the likelihood that you’ll remember how you wanted to use each of the plants once you get home.”

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Authorities in Davenport are looking into the circumstances surrounding a man's injuries after he was found in a ditch yesterday morning.  Davenport Police Department Captain David Struckman says the 20-year-old man was found near a wooded area on Utah Avenue by a passerby.  Struckman says the man's injuries are severe.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

The Green Party's candidate for governor laid out his platform yesterday but not before criticizing Governor Quinn on his budget address.  Rich Whitney said Quinn should have been more forthcoming about his income tax increase.  Whitney said if elected governor, he would support changing the state's current flat-tax structure to progressive structure, where those who make more money pay more taxes.  Whitney also suggested legalizing marijuana to generate extra tax revenue for the state.  He also proposed creating a state-run bank and an independent commission to identify and eliminate wasteful government spending on pork projects.  This is the second time Whitney has run as the Green Party candidate for governor.  He last ran in 2006, coming in third to Rod Blagojevich and Judy Baar Topinka.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Governor Pat Quinn visited middle schools in Springfield and Chicago yesterday to drum up support for tax hike he introduced during his budget address.  Quinn says bumping the state's income tax from three-percent to four-percent would bring in two-point-eight-billion dollars for schools.  If lawmakers shoot down the plan, Quinn says schools across the state would share a one-point-three-billion-dollar funding cut.  Officials say that could cost up to 17-thousand teachers and other school workers their jobs next year, resulting in bigger class sizes.  During his Springfield Stop, local public school Superintendent Walter Milton said a funding cut could force Springfield schools to hire fewer new teachers next year but wouldn't say any would be laid off.  Critics have said Quinn is bluffing on his threats to make the deep cuts and using schools to scare lawmakers into supporting the plan.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

The Laughing Corn Art Walk will take place on Saturday, April 24^th from 10am – 3pm on Main Street in Downtown Galesburg.  The walk is part of the Carl Sandburg Days festival and features the works of local artists and artisans. Acceptable art work includes but is not limited to:  painting, drawing, prints, photography, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, fiber art, metal work and folk art.  The participation fee for this event is $10.00.  The application deadline is April 2, 2010.

The Galesburg Civic Art Center is also seeking artists to participate with First Fridays on Seminary Street.  The First Friday events will take place the first Fridays of each month from May thru October from 5-8pm.  Local artists and artisans will have an opportunity to show and sell their work. Artists are encouraged to be working on their art at the event.  The participation fee for this event is $10.00 per each Friday of participation. Participation is limited to two Fridays.  The applications deadline is on-going, however space is limited.

The prospectus is now available for the Galesburg Civic Art Center’s 24^th annual Art in the Park fine arts fair.  This year, Art in the Park will take place on Saturday, September 11^th from 9am to 4pm at the Standish Park Arboretum – a shady tree-filled park by the Knox County Courthouse in downtown Galesburg, Illinois.  Acceptable art work includes painting, drawing, prints, photography, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, fiber art, metal work and folk art.  Other media will be considered and accepted at the discretion of the Art in the Park Committee.  All entries must be the original work of the exhibitor.

Jury fee is $10.00 and Booth fee for a 10’ x 10’ booth is $40.00.  (Booth fee will be refunded if artist is not accepted.)  All entry procedures are outlined on the prospectus.  This is a juried art fair, so four slides or images of your work are required.  All entries must be postmarked by Friday, July 23^rd, 2010.  Artists may apply on-line at http://www.galesburgarts.org/pages/art_park_entry.html  . 

Art in the Park Promotional Image Contest:  The 2010 Art in the Park Committee is seeking art work to be used as a promotional image for this one-day art fair. The winning artist will receive $100. The chosen artwork will be used for the 2010 Art in the Park publicity and promotional items such as T-shirts, posters, etc.   The submitted artwork is to be two dimensional, any style or subject, and may be new or pre-existing work. High quality digital images or photographs are preferred. Entries (up to three per artist) must be submitted to the Galesburg Civic Art Center by May 1, 2010.

Information about all of the above or applications for Laughing Corn Art Walk, First Friday participation and Art in the Park is available by contacting the Galesburg Civic Art Center at (309) 342-7415, at 114 East Main Street, Galesburg, IL or on our website at www.galesburgarts.org.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Knox College's weekly student newspaper, "The Knox Student," recently won the top college newspaper award in Illinois -- first place for General Excellence, along with eleven other awards, from the Illinois College Press Association. Members of the staff received four first place awards, one second place award, three third place awards and three honorable mentions. The ICPA awards were presented at the organization's annual conference, February 19-20 in Chicago.

Judges selected by the ICPA determined "The Knox Student" was the best college newspaper in the state for 2009 in its division -- nondaily under 4,000 circulation. Other first place award winners for "The Knox Student" are John Baillie for Sports Column, Evan Temchin for Sports Historiography, and Laura Miller, who won two awards, for Editorial Writing and In-Depth Reporting. Miller, a senior from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is editor-in-chief this year. Temchin, a senior from Meadow Vista, California, was photo editor in 2009 and is managing editor this year. Baillie, a 2009 graduate from Stillwater, Minnesota, was the paper's photo editor in 2008.

"These awards are the culmination of a lot of hard work by the staff," Miller said. "We went into 2009 with specific goals -- to make the paper more professional and more journalistic, and to work on the design. This shows that we have been successful."
According to college records, this is the first time in at least 25 years that "The Knox Student" has won the ICPA's General Excellence award, the top college newspaper prize in the state.

"I'm really proud of the students," said Tom Martin, the paper's advisor. "This is a talented group, and they worked hard over the past year to improve TKS -- they made it the best small college newspaper in the state. That's quite an accomplishment. They have raised the expectation for future TKS staffs."

Martin has advised the paper since January 2009. Prior to that he taught a journalism class. He has been a newspaper editor for 18 years, the past five as editor of The Register-Mail in Galesburg.

Other awards received by "The Knox Student" or individual staff members were: second place award to Temchin for Feature Photography; third place awards to Miller for Feature Story Writing, Dan Dyrda, a senior from West Chicago, Illinois for Critical Review in Music, and to the newspaper staff for Headline Writing. Winning Honorable Mentions were Temchin and Matt Wheaton, a senior from Galesburg, Illinois, for Sports Page Design, Miller and Temchin for Front Page Design, and Colin Davis, a junior from Canton, Illinois, for Sports News Story. Davis and Wheaton are sports co-editors this year.
Other first place award winners for general excellence for 2009 were the Daily Illini at the University of Illinois-Urbana and the Columbia Chronicle at Columbia College in Chicago.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Dr. Elie Daniel, an area podiatrist with clinics in Mendota and Princeton, will be offering a free foot screening at Perry Memorial Hospital on Friday, March 19th.

This foot screening is for any individual who is having problems with their feet including warts, nerve pain, muscle soreness or any other abnormality. Dr. Daniel will perform a thorough examination of the skin, nail, hair, nerves, muscles, tendons, bones and joints of the feet free of charge. He will then recommend a plan of treatment, if applicable. Please note that this FREE screening is for new patients only. Any follow up x-rays, labs, rehabilitation or other services are not included in the free foot screening. The clinic will run from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. and will be held in Dr. Daniel's office, Suite 204, at Perry Memorial Hospital in Princeton. For information or to schedule an appointment, please call 815-875-2643.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

The Henry and Stark County Health Department and Bridgeway, Inc.
announces they will be conducting a Mental Health First Aid Training on
Tuesday, April 20th and Wednesday, April 21st from 9:00am-4:00pm at the
Black Hawk College Community Outreach Center, 404 E. 3rd St., Kewanee.

    The Health Department and Bridgeway, Inc. encourages mental health and
medical professionals, leaders of the faith community, school personnel, law
enforcement, community leaders and interested members of the public to
attend this important training.

    Mental Health First Aid is a 12-hour training certification course which
teaches participants a five-step action plan to assess a situation, select
and implement interventions and secure appropriate care for the individual,
the certification program introduces participants to risk factors and
warning signs of mental health problems, builds understanding of their
impact and overviews common treatments.  Thorough evaluations in randomized
controlled trials and a quantitative study have proved the CPR-like program
effective in improving trainees¹ knowledge of mental disorders, reducing
stigma and increasing the amount of help provided to others.
    There is no charge to attend and the day includes complimentary lunch,
snacks and educational materials.

    To register for the April 20th & 21st Mental Health First Aid Training
call Carrie Titus at (309) 852-7255.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

The weekend of April 9 – 11 marks the Grand Opening of the Bishop Hill Emporium, located at 110 N. Olson St., Bishop Hill IL, in The Colony Hospital Bed and Breakfast. The shop features a varied selection of artist’s works and handcrafted artisan wares, many one-of-a-kind items. Many of the artists are from Henry County including Carolyn Stenzel, Jerry Hahn, Warren Hadley, Jan Hagan and Karen Vroman plus Dixon artisans Harry and Cindy Wilkinson. “We enjoy supporting and promoting artists and artisans. It’s so much nicer to buy a gift that has been made by someone’s hands and imagination,” stated Emporium owner Judith Gilbert.

On Saturday, April 10, author and National Best Book finalist Sylvia Shults will be on hand at the Bishop Hill Emporium from 1 to 4 pm autographing copies of her latest book, Ghosts of the Illinois River. “The river has seen centuries of history come and go and has witnessed its share of mystery and dark deeds. Sylvia Schults is your guide on a trip down the longest river in Illinois.”

Sunday, April 11, from noon to 3 pm, will feature musician Jerry Barton playing his dulcimer and offering mini lessons to anyone interested in learning how to play the dulcimer.

Regular shop hours of the Bishop Hill Emporium will be Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 11 am to 4 pm or by appointment. The Colony Hospital Bed and Breakfast is open 7 days a week beginning April through December. Availability and reservations may be checked and made online at www.bishophillbb.com.

For more information about the Bishop Hill Emporium or The Colony Hospital Bed and Breakfast, call 309-927-3506.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Kewanee Hospital was recently recognized by the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation (MTF) for its efforts with the Tissue Donation Program.

“Kewanee Hospital has done fantastic work with their tissue donation program”, said Jerri Harding, Donor Developer for the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation. “They are a small but mighty hospital that cares deeply for bereaved families.”

MTF is the nation’s largest tissue bank. As a non-profit service organization, MTF is dedicated to providing quality tissue through a commitment to excellence in education, research, recovery and care for recipients, donors and their families.

“In 2009, Kewanee hospital had a 100% conversion rate; every potential for tissue became a donor,” Harding added. “This is pretty incredible and means that the people of Kewanee and the surrounding area are very generous in wanting to help others in the event of their death. It also means that the nursing staff at Kewanee recognizes that sudden deaths are very different from anticipated deaths.”

“Our nursing staff serves families with the utmost kindness, caring and compassion,” stated Jennifer Junis, Kewanee Hospital Chief Nursing Officer. “Kewanee Hospital’s nursing team stands out in the crowd, and I am very proud to recognize them for their dedication to the Tissue Donation Program.”

Tissue that can be donated includes heart valves, veins, bone, skin, tendons and ligaments that can be used in a variety of transplant procedures as soon as 30 days or up to five years after the donation. The public is aware of organ donation, but few will meet the criteria. However, tissue donation can be an option for many Americans as one last gift to help the one million Americans who receive tissue during surgery each year. For every tissue donor, up to 50 lives can be saved or improved with little or no matching criteria needed. There is no cost for a family to donate, and donation does not typically prevent an open casket funeral.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Illinois State Police Captain Jeffrey Patterson, District Seven Commander announced that during the month of December, Troopers handled 2314 calls for service and assistance. Of these calls, 379 were to help motorists whose vehicles were disabled on area highways.

Criminal activities during the month included 7 persons apprehended for being wanted on outstanding warrants and 50 arrested for other criminal offenses.

Traffic enforcement activities resulted in 272 drivers arrested for speeding and 269 cited for seat belt violations. Driving under the influence arrests totaled 35, while 11 apprehensions for other alcohol related offenses were recorded. Troopers issued a total of 864 traffic citations and 1385 written warnings to motorists during the month.

Troopers and weight inspectors issued 28 citations for overweight loads and issued 128 written warnings for overweight violations.

District Seven Troopers handled 45 traffic crashes within the four county area of Rock Island, Henry, Knox, and Mercer. There was 1 fatal crash handled by District 7 Troopers.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

The Illinois seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January 2010 was 11.3 percent, up from the revised December 2009 rate of 11.0 percent, according to data released today by the Illinois Department of Employment Security. The unemployment rate is at its highest level since August 1983.

“Although there are some signs the recession technically might have ended, there continues to be significant job pressures in Illinois and throughout the country,” IDES Director Maureen O’Donnell said. “Economic figures such as job growth and the unemployment rate are only illustrative when looked at in the broad picture of a trend and not a single month.”

Preliminary Illinois data for January reflects job growth. However, January traditionally is a difficult month in which to capture employment data. Further, recent federal changes in data estimation might result in larger monthly fluctuations as the national economy struggles to improve. The three-month moving average of payroll employment in Illinois, a broader view of job creation, still shows job loss. Up-and-down movement in the number of jobs and the percentage of the unemployed are common in a national recession. Since the recession began in December 2007, the nation has lost 8.4 million jobs. Illinois has lost 407,000 jobs.

The national unemployment rate in January was 9.7 percent. It also was 9.7 percent in February. Illinois employment data for February will be released later this month. That is because monthly labor force data is revised each February to meet requirements set by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Therefore, previous data, analysis and comments should be discarded because they might no longer be valid. The revisions, combined with benchmarking efforts for that same economic data, delay the January and February jobs and employment reports each year.

The unemployment rate is not the same measurement as those collecting unemployment benefits. The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and seeking employment, regardless if they are eligible for unemployment insurance. Workers collecting benefits are counted separately. Therefore, a person who exhausts or is ineligible for unemployment insurance still would be reflected in the unemployment rate if they are seeking employment.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security administers federally funded employment services and unemployment insurance through its nearly 60 offices, including the Illinois workNet Centers. IDES also receives federal grants to provide and analyze labor market statistics and information.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Illinois Department on Aging director Charles Johnson is urging people to reflect on their health and adopt new strategies to promote a healthier lifestyle. At a recent meeting of health experts, gerontology students, university faculty, and community health trainers, Director Johnson told about the year-long campaign to improve the health and lives of adults, ages 55 years and older. As proclaimed by Governor Pat Quinn, the campaign 2010: Year of the Engaged Older Adult offers a monthly theme with the purpose of creating stronger connections among the generations. For more information, log on to www.law.siu.edu/GenServeGen.

The theme for March is “Aging is an Asset for Health.” To kickoff the month and generate ideas, a meeting was held last week in Springfield to discuss health promotion for older adults, and prepare strategies to disseminate throughout the state. Some of the areas of focus included: How to assess our readiness to take charge of our health, how to take charge of our health, and how to connect with healthy aging programs in Illinois. The goal

for this month is to anticipate the impact of aging on Illinois and develop a mindset that views older adults as resources rather than as problems to be dealt with.

“Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health. It moves beyond a focus on individual behavior towards a wide range of social and environmental interventions,” said Director Johnson. “This month we encourage everyone, especially older adults, to join in efforts in your community to improve education and promote healthy lifestyles through service.”

Director Johnson is leading this statewide initiative that started when Illinois was selected to participate in the National Governors Association (NGA) Policy Academy on Civic Engagement of Older Adults. The project is designed to improve the health and lives of older Americans and increase their involvement in service, learning, and work.

Also part of the initiative is a 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. The core team includes 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. Kris Wexell

The famous coiffe of impeached former Governor Rod Blagojevich served as the punchline for several jokes during "The Late Show With David Letterman" last night.  Blagojevich made his second appearance on the show since his ouster as Illinois' top executive last year.  Blagojevich read Letterman's top ten list entitled  "The top ten things Rod Blagojevich asked himself before appearing on 'Celebrity Apprentice."  The number one question was "Will my hair get along with Trump's Hair?"  Blagojevich will appear in the seaon debut of Donald Trump's reality this weekend.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Two children abducted Tuesday afternoon from a group home in Decatur were found early yesterday morning with their mother in St. Louis.  Police say infant J. Marcus Upchurch and his four-year-old brother Terry Smith appeared to be unharmed.  The boys' mother, Ebonie Neylon, is in police custody, along with two other people.  Police aren't saying when and if she will be charged.  Police have said they are still trying to find father, Marcus Upchurch for questioning. The AMBER Alert was issued after police said two men attacked employees of the group home and took the boys at gunpoint.  Police also found what they believe is the vehicle used in the kidnapping during a traffic stop in Litchfield.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Governor Quinn's Republican opponent for the November election had plenty of harsh words for his budget address Wednesday.  But State Senator Bill Brady of Bloomington said he did agree with Quinn's proposal to give tax credits for small businesses that hire new employees.  Brady said he wants a 21-hundred dollar tax credit for all businesses for each job created. That's down from the 25-hundred Quinn proposed for each job a small business creates.  Brady also reiterated his pledge not to raise taxes, despite the state's 13-billion dollar deficit.  Brady claims there are 40 to 45-billion dollars that can be cut or restructured in the state.  The Republican State Senator continued to defend his position on cutting state spending across the board, rather than massive cuts to education.  Governor Quinn criticized this belief during his budget address Wednesday.  Brady in turn criticized Quinn's proposal to raise taxes.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Illinois' top lawmakers gave mixed reviews to Governor Pat Quinn's budget address that was highlighted by a plea to the General Assembly to approve a tax increase to help off-set funding cuts to education.  Democratic Senate President John Cullerton praised Quinn for identifying the state's need to increase revenue.  He believes there will be enough support in the Senate to pass the increase, and calls on the House to do the same.  Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno said she would not support the increase, and called Quinn's proposal a 'political game.'  House Minority Leader Tom Cross also does not support the tax increase, and calls threats to cut education funding 'scare tactics.'  Both Cross and Radogno say the state should institute healthcare and pension reforms to offset the budget gap, but did not offer many specifics.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell

Governor Pat Quinn's budget address Wednesday challenged lawmakers to pass an income tax increase of one-percent to be used to offset cuts to education.  Quinn says raising the state's income tax from three to four-percent would bring in about two-point-eight billion dollars this year.  Without a tax increase, as many as 17-thousand teachers and school workers could lose their jobs after this school year. The state currently faces a budget gap of about 13-billion-dollars. Quinn proposes strategically borrowing and further spending cuts to bridge the gap.

All material copyright 2010 Virden Broadcasting Corp. Kris Wexell