By Elin Arnoldnews@tonicanews.com

TONICA — The Vietnam War began Nov. 1, 1955, and ended April 30, 1975. It lasted for 19 and one-half years, and 58,000 American troops died. The war changed American history, soci-ety and culture forever.

The lives of two Tonica fami-lies were also changed and dev-astated with grief. Cody Calkins and Mike Puetz were among those casualties. They died within months of each other.

On May 26, the Russell Zenor Post 260 Tonica American Legion will dedicate a Vietnam section of the Gold Star Wall in their memory.

The Gold Star Wall has been a group effort by the Legionnaires. It started with the dedication of the World War II section on Veterans Day 2012. It was Com-mander Lowell Beenenga’s idea, and the project was headed up by Bob Hobneck Jr.

Hobneck did the research with the help of Pat Ryan, and Ryan helped Mary Hawley with the construction phase. Don

“Joker” Topolski did the pho-tography work, and Doug Grieve has organized the dedication ceremonies.

Both of these young men were members of the Tonica High School Class of 1967, and mem-bers of that class will participate in the services on Sunday. Thir-teen young men served during the Vietnam Conflict from this class.

Private First Class Cody Ray Calkins was killed in hostile force actions on July 12, 1969. He was wounded in a mine explosion but refused treatment and assisted in evacuating near-ly all the casualties before he was taken for treatment of the injuries that he died of later.

Sgt. Michael DeWayne Puetz was killed on Feb. 11, 1970, in a combat incident while fly-ing in a U.S. Army helicopter OH-6A. He was flying a heli-copter reconnaissance mission near the Cambodian border. He was the third LaSalle County soldier to be killed within 10 days.

By KEn SchroEdErnews@tonicanews.com

LOSTANT – The Lostant Grade School Board approved a fix for a long-standing base-ment flooding problem. The board voted to go ahead with the project during the regular May 20 meeting. The only prob-lem? Board members aren’t sure exactly what the project is going to include.

School architect Rob-ert Johnson presented the board with plans for a larger pit for water to be drained off from with a commercial sized pump, and a French drain that would draw water away from the building to the new pit. The current pit is about 40 gallons, which is too small for the building. It is also equipped with a pump normally used in larger houses. The pro-jected cost for the project

is $56,000. A 50/50 grant has been applied for to help finance the job.

However, board mem-bers do not believe the solution will fix the prob-lem. There is a question of where the eave spouts carry the water from the roof gutters, and the possibility of that water bypassing the French drain was brought up.

“I think it’s foolish to think the French drain is going to do this,” said

board member Andy Urbanowski. “I think we need to look at other ideas. Those gutters are probably a big part of the problem.”

The building was erect-ed in 1936, and many of the lines around the building from that time do not appear on cur-rent blueprints, which also complicates matters. Inspection of the court-yard during the meeting revealed a pipe that is not

on the blueprint.An engineer will be

called in to try to deter-mine the viability of the plan and to suggest other options.

In other action, the school board:

• Voted to switch from Hi-Hart Electric to the incoming iFiber network for its Internet provider when the new network is completed. The board did so with the recom-mendation of Tim Smith

from Hi-Hart Electric. While the iFiber net-work is more expensive than the services from Hi-Hart, Smith said the benefits outweighed the drawbacks.

“This is almost too good to be true,” Smith said. “This is a good move for the school.”

Smith advised the board to act quickly, because if the school would want to

1 Front

The Tonica NewsVolume 140 No. 13 Friday, May 24, 2013

Single Copy Cost 50¢

Vol. 140 No. 13

One Section - 12 Pages

© The Tonica News

Inside

2013 graduatesSee Pages 8-10

Drying up an old problem

Tanks out at former Village

Inn

Tonica to honor Gold Star Vietnam veterans

By BArB KromphArdtbkromphardt@tonicanews.com

TONICA – The gas tanks are finally out at the former Village Inn building, and Tonica Vil-lage Attorney Bob Steele is hopeful the building might be coming down soon as well.

At Monday’s village board meeting, Steele said the tanks had been removed the previous week, but the owner, Tonica Acquisitions, still needed to take down the building.

Holding up the building — literally — is asbestos in the ceiling, but Steele said the owner will meet with Dennis Hancock, an environmental protec-tion specialist with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, some time this week. Once the asbestos is removed, the building will be torn down.

Steele said he should have a timeline by the June meeting, and he was told the building would be down by Tonica Fest, which will be held Aug. 22-25.

“We’ll continue to watch the situation close-ly,” he said.

In everlasting memory …Students at Tonica Grade School play near the Old Cedar Point Cemetery on Tonica’s east side. The cemetery will be the setting for a Memorial Day service at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Tonica Civil War soldiers and two local men who died in the Vietnam War will be recognized and hon-ored.

Tonica News photo/Barb Kromphardt

“And in the end it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”

Abraham Lincoln

See Lostant Page 3

See Gold Star Page 2See Demolition Page 3

By BarB Kromphardtbkromphardt@tonicanews.com

TONICA – The Tonica Village Board is trying to deal with current problems and deal with the next heavy rain.

At Monday’s meeting, Vil-lage Engineer Jack Kusek said packets of informa-tion about the village’s pro-posed $2.5 million sewer plant were sent to the three manufacturing companies who make the equipment. The proposed plant will be an oxidation ditch, in which the sewage comes in and moves around an oval ditch. There are mixing devices to add oxygen to the sewage, and then quiet ponds to allow activated sludge to digest the solids in the sewage.

Instead of creating one plan, Kusek asked the three companies to pre-pare a proposal for the work they would suggest for the village that would result in the least amount of maintenance and be the most effective and cheap-est to operate.

The proposals are due back May 31.

“We’ll have their propos-als, and then we can move forward,” Kusek said.

Trustee Bob Foltynewicz asked who would deter-mine whether the village would install a new line or another line for the force main. The force main is the line through which the excess water is pumped.

Kusek said the village has two pumps, but the amount of water pumped doesn’t equal the total of the two pumps because both lines go through the same pipe.

Kusek said he is consid-ering another 6-inch line installed parallel to the existing line that would lead directly into the new plant or the old plant.

Kusek said he would pro-pose removing the current sand filter at the old plant, which would leave a basin. By raising the walls of the dikes with dirt just a few inches, the basin would be able to hold much more water in case of heavy rains.

Village President Kevin Sluder said his biggest fear was that there would be another flood like there was in April and the system wouldn’t be able to hold it.

Kusek said you can’t design for every catastro-phe.

“You can’t design for oblivion because nobody could afford it,” he said. “For the most part, we’ll be able to handle normal

floods plus the growth in the village.”

The basin would hold extra water in case of heavy rains, and then the water would be pumped back into the water treatment plant. Kusek said he would have a lot more informa-tion at the June meeting.

Calkins served with Co. C., 52nd Infantry Regiment, 198th Infan-try Brigade in the central highlands of the Republic of Vietnam. He received the following awards and decorations for his ser-vice: Air Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with one Campaign Star, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Nation-al Defense Service Medal and Combat Infantry Badge.

Puetz served first with Co. B, 2nd Battalion

(Mech.), 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division and then with Troop B, 7th Squadron,

1st Calvary Division in the Republic of Viet-nam. He received the Air Medal, Army Commen-

dation Medal with “V” for Valor, Purple Heart Medal, Army Good Con-duct Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with three Campaign Stars, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Nation-al Defense Service Medal, Combat Infantry Badge and Air Crewman Wings.

The Class of 1967 has honored these two young men with a plaque in 1982. It is on display at Tonica Grade School in the main entrance by the library. It simply reads: “In dedication to Michael Puetz - Cody Calkins lost to us in Vietnam. We loved you - we miss you. The Class of 1967.”

2 Life2 • The Tonica News • Friday, May 24, 2013

Seeking Sources

The Tonica News is looking for area individu-als to help us with stories we are pursuing. If you or someone you know would be willing to share your stories, please give us a call at 815-442-8419 or email us at news@tonicanews.com. We are seeking sources for:

• Someone who owns a train or railroad collec-tion.

• Someone who has a kite collection or who flies kites every spring/summer.

• An individual or fam-ily who has a passion for roughing it and camping.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Tonica NewsP.O. Box 86,Tonica, IL 61370

ContactPublisherSam Fishersfisher@tonicanews.com

EditorTerri Simontsimon@tonicanews.com

Managing EditorBarb Kromphardtbkromphardt@tonicanews.com

SubmitThe Tonica News

encourages readers to submit news for publica-tion in our paper. Special events, weddings, births, awards and honors, anni-versaries, promotions, etc. are welcome items for the paper. Some fees may apply.

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The Tonica News

P.O. Box 86, Tonica, IL 61370 (USPS 633340)

Published every Friday at Tonica, IL 61370

Entered at Tonica Post Office as Periodical Mail

$22 In LaSalle County$25 Outside of LaSalle County

Tonica prepares for the next big flood

Memorial Day services

TonicaThe Tonica American

Legion will host Memorial Day services on May 26. Special events of the day include:

• 8 a.m. to noon - Spe-cial open house honoring Vietnam War veterans will be held at the Legion Hall.

• 1:30 p.m. Memorial Day service will be held at the old cemetery just east of the Tonica United Meth-odist Church. Col. Rick Keating and the 104th Illi-nois Civil War re-enact-ment group will recognize Tonica Civil War soldiers. The L-P Marching Band under the direction of Kyle Adelmann will perform, and Mark Baer will recite the Gettysburg Address. Tom Gualandi will give the address honoring the fallen Tonica soldiers of the Vietnam Conflict, and Gold Star mother, Mrs. Calkins, will place flowers at the base of the Vietnam cross. The special Gold Star Wall Vietnam Con-flict section dedication will be conducted.

Following the services the Tonica United Meth-odist Church Youth group will host an ice cream social and cake fellowship in the church hall. Every-one is invited to attend this special time of remember-ing those who fought and died, so Americans could live in freedom today.

LeonoreThe Lostant American

Legion Post 173 will hold a Memorial Day service at 8:45 a.m. May 27, at the Saint Peter & Paul Ceme-tery. The public is invited, and veterans are invited to participate.

LostantThe Lostant American

Legion Post 173 will hold a Memorial Day service at 9:30 a.m. May 27, at City Park on Main Street in Lostant. The public is invited, and veterans are invited to participate. There will be refresh-ments at Legion Hall fol-lowing services.

Tonica American Legion Post Commander Low-ell Beenenga (left) and Bob Hobneck Jr. pose in front of the Gold Star Wall at the Legion Hall with photo collages of Cody Calkins and Mike Puetz that will become part of the Vietnam sec-tion of this display.

Tonica News photo/Elin Arnold

Pfc. Cody Ray Calkins

Sgt. Michael DeWayne Puetz

HethoughtitwasworthitAccording to a weblog (http://www.urbanagora.com/2007/09/tonica-days-5-farmboys-on-the-wall.

html) Tonica’s Tom Trumpinski wrote about Puetz, “Mike finished his first tour and came back to the farm. He was changed. Where there had been a vivacious life-of-the-party fellow, there was now a seri-ous man – a good soldier, but an angry one. He had been offered the chance to serve the rest of his term of service in the States, but he confided to us that he wanted to go back. I talked to Mike, ask-ing him if he really thought all this was worth it. He said that he thought it was – that the people there seemed grateful that the Americans were helping them out.”

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be added after the iFi-ber network is complete, it would have to buy the equipment and pay to be added at an approximate cost of $10,000.

There was some trepida-tion among board members over the fact the iFiber did not provide concrete sta-tistics on exactly what the school would receive from the contract. However, act-ing on Smith’s recommen-dations, the board voted unanimously to accept the proposal.

The district is currently paying $264 per year for

Internet service. With iFi-ber, the cost is estimated at $2,160, with a five-year contract.

• Approved applying for a 50/50 grant from the state to fix some problems with the school building. Dur-ing a recent inspection, the school found in violation of health and safety codes in three separate areas. The project to fix the electrical system and a tripping haz-ard and to do some repaint-ing will cost about $5,000.

• Voted not to pay the 2013-14 I.E.S.A. fees for membership. After con-sultation with the school coaches, Superintendent Sandra Malahy told the

board that none of the teams were likely to advance into regional championships and only one student was likely to do so in track. This move means that no Lostant teams will be allowed into post-season play.

• Recognized seventh-grade student Matthew Casey who went to state in track. Casey finished 30th in the 400-meter dash and placed in the Top 16 in the 110-meter hurdles during the state semifinals.

Steele filed a com-plaint against the Tonica Acquisition Corp., which bought the property dur-ing the spring of 2012, and said an Indiana sheriff was finally able to deliver the legal papers May 10.

Trustee Bob Foltyne-wicz said he was con-cerned the building was open and not boarded up, but Steele said if anyone was injured the liability would be the owner’s, not the village’s.

In other business, the board:

• Heard Village Presi-dent Kevin Sluder recap the tax increment financ-ing meeting, which was held before the board meeting. Sluder said rep-resentatives from LaSal-le-Peru High School and Illinois Valley Commu-nity College attended the meeting, which included a review by TIF lawyer Herb Klein. Sluder said it was uncertain whether the village would pro-

ceed with another TIF or to extend the life of the current TIF.

• Heard the water bills were sent out, and monthly billing would begin June 15.

• Heard the police report from Chief Dave Woolford. For April there were four citations for speeding, three for oper-ating an uninsured vehi-cle, two for disobeying a stop sign and two war-rant arrests for failure to appear.

• Heard from Wool-ford another police offi-cer would be on duty for up to 15 hours per week, mostly on Friday and Saturday nights.

• Approved having the transmission replaced on the squad car at a cost of $1,200 to $1,400.

• Heard from Marc Lemrise the road clean-up was completed in the Bailey Creek Estates Subdivision.

• Heard someone was interested in opening a hatchery on Route 251. The board discussed parking issues and the village’s restriction on livestock in the village.

• Discussed the vil-lage’s dog policy. Foltynewicz said the village should enforce the existing regulations and consider a licens-ing policy to raise money and create a list of dogs in the village. Woolford said part of the problem with enforcing the regu-lations was the residents weren’t willing to sign a complaint and testify about any problems.

3 Obit RecordsFriday, May 24, 2013 • The Tonica News • 3

Man dies in motorcycle-tractor accidentBy BarB Kromphardt

bkromphardt@tonicanews.com

UTICA – A Streator man is dead following a collision with a tractor near Utica on May 16. Daniel Corcoran, 43, of LaSalle was traveling northbound on Route 178 about a mile south of Route 71 in a 1991

Case tractor at 1:21 p.m. May 16. He was followed by Jerry Trenor, 65, of Streator who was operat-ing a 2008 Harley David-son motorcycle.

As Corcoran began to make a left turn into a field, Trenor started to pass and struck the left front tire of the tractor and was ejected from the

motorcycle.Trenor was transported

by Utica ambulance to Illi-nois Valley Community Hospital and later trans-ported to OSF St. Francis Hospital in Peoria. He was pronounced dead at 6:03 p.m.

The accident is under investigation by Illinois State Police District 17.

Tonica News photos/Barb KromphardtTime, nature and vandals have been reclaiming the former Village Inn prop-erty in Tonica, but perhaps not for much longer. Owner Tonica Acquisitions has said the property will be torn down once the asbestos is removed from the ceiling and that the work will be done by the end of August.

Lostant

Demolition

From Page 1

From Page 1

George Hiltabrand

George HiltabrandGeorge F. Hiltabrand

passed away Thursday, April 18, 2013, at his home with his family by his side.

George was born March 28, 1925, in Lostant to Henry H. and Lois M. (Patterson) Hiltabrand. He attended Lostant Com-munity Grade School and g r a d u a t e d from Lostant High School in 1944. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943 and served with the 371st Con-struction Battalion during World War II in the Europe-an Theatre for 22 months. He was awarded four Battle Stars for Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe and also received the Meritorious Service Unit Award. The 371st Construction Battal-ion was unique in that it was the first Army Engi-neer Regiment changed into the table of organiza-tion as the Navy Sea Bees as they became very suc-cessful in the South Pacific.

George’s family moved to Montana in January 1946 to ranch in the Hel-ena Valley and by coin-cidence George was dis-charged from the Army at the same time and they all arrived in Helena on the same day. He was honor-ably discharged on Jan. 4, 1946.

George worked for Por-ter Brothers Dredging and the Northern Pacific Railroad in Helena before going to work for Chevron USA of California on the oil tankers. He held several positions before becoming chief engineer, the position he held until retiring with 25 years of service on Oct. 1, 1985. George started driving for Avis Car Rentals in 2004 for several years. He ranched west of Helena for several years after retir-ing from Chevron USA.

George married G. Jeanne Kerr in 1947 and of this union two chil-dren were born, Scot C. and Herbert F. Hiltabrand. George married Grace M. (Nelson) Wood on Nov. 11, 1967, in Helena, Mont.

George is a life member of St. Paul’s United Meth-odist Church.

George is a life member of the following organizations: Helena Lodge 3, joined 1953, Helena Scottish Rite, joined 1954, Algeria Shrine Temple, joined 1957, and was a member of the Alge-ria Patrol and served on the Consistory Shrine Temple Board. George joined York Rite in 1990, Royal Order of Jesters in 1992, Miriam Chapter 1, OES in 1953, served as worthy patron in 1957 and 2009, and was appointed grand represen-tative of New Mexico in Montana. He served on the board for Helena Assembly 7, ORG and was awarded the Grand Cross of Colors. He was also a member of

the International Bossons Collectors Society.

Survivors are his wife, Grace; two sons, Scot C. (Lynn) Hiltabrand of Cali-fornia and Herbert F. (Jo Lane) Hiltabrand of Min-nesota; adopted daughter, Yvonne N. Hiltabrand of Helena, Mont.; two step-sons, Richard L. Wood and Donald W. Wood, both of Helena, Mont.; 15 grand-children; numerous great-grandchildren; one sister-in-law, Auriel Hiltabrand of East Helena, Mont.; and several nieces and neph-ews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Harold H.. and his wife Shirley, and Her-bert C. Hiltabrand; and an infant granddaughter, Lisa Yvonne Knowles.

Funeral services were held April 25 in the Ander-son Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 3750 N. Montana Ave. Burial, with military honors, was at Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

Memorials in George’s name are suggested to Hos-pice of St. Peter’s, 2475 Broadway St., Helena, MT 59601; the Transportation Fund, in care of Algeria Shrine, P.O. Box 1174, Helena, MT 59624; Miriam Chapter 1 Cancer Fund, P.O. Box 4175, Helena, MT 59604; or to an organiza-tion of the donor’s choice.

Visit www.aswfuneral-home.com to offer the fam-ily a condolence or share a memory of George.

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4 Biz Ag4 • The Tonica News • Friday, May 24, 2013

Area chefs to help local schools affected by flooding with fundraiser

Nighttime patrol results

May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

Jacob and Sophia, again

Girl Scout cookies are the featured guestsLASALLE/UTICA —

Girl Scouts of Central Illinois (GSCI) will host a night of “sweet firsts” as local chefs are chal-lenged to create desserts inspired by Girl Scout cookies. “Desserts First” will feature sweet concoc-tions designed by chefs from the LaSalle County area. In addition to the sampling of desserts, the night will feature din-ner provided by MarkAl-len’s American Kitchen,

a prize wall, raffles and entertainment, all to benefit local schools in LaSalle and Bureau coun-ties that were recently affected by flooding.

“Girl Scouts of Cen-tral Illinois serves nearly 1,400 girls in LaSalle and Bureau counties, so this disaster hits home for us,” GSCI CEO Pam Kovacev-ich said. “Fortunately, there is strength in num-bers, and as an organiza-tion, we can come togeth-er to help our sisters who were displaced from their schools. Cookies are our calling card, so it seems appropriate to host a fun-

draiser event around this tradition, and we hope the community joins us for the event.”

The chefs will put their original desserts to the test in a friendly com-petition scored by local celebrity judges, includ-ing Judge Cynthia Rac-cuglia, ophthalmologist Dr. Libby Kristal, Judge Karen Eiten, and radio host Tim “The Wizzard.”

Chefs from MarkAl-len’s American Kitch-en, Cajun Connection, Skoog’s Steakhouse, Brandy’s, Kelsey’s Kakes, Tiers of Joy and Corner 230 will be creating the

one-of-a-kind desserts.The event, produced

by Girl Scouts of Cen-tral Illinois in order to benefit recently-flooded communities, is from 6 to 8 p.m. June 12 at Celebrations 150 in Utica. Tickets are $30 per person and $15 for children 16 and under (including Desserts First fun patch for attending Girl Scouts). Sponsor-ships ranging from $100 to $2,500 are available. For additional informa-tion, contact Samantha Greenburg at 309-662-5384, ext. 1106, sgreen-burg@girlscouts-gsci.org.

The Illinois State Police (ISP) have announced the results of Nighttime Enforcement Patrols (NITE) held during the late evening hours of May 15. The patrols were conducted in LaSalle and Bureau counties by ISP District 17 officers.

Alcohol is involved in nearly 40 percent of fatal crashes in Illi-

nois. NITE patrols are designed to keep roads safe by removing alco-hol-impaired drivers. However, when other violations are observed such as driving with a suspended or revoked license, operating a vehicle without a valid registration or insurance or safety belt violations, enforcement action may

be taken. The following citations were issued during the patrols:

• Occupant restraint offenses - three citations.

• Other alcohol/drug arrests - six citations.

• Total citations/

arrests - 24 citations.• Total written warn-

ings - 35 warnings.This project was fund-

ed through the Illinois Department of Transpor-tation’s Division of Traf-fic Safety.

SPRINGFIELD – May is Motorcycle Safety Aware-ness Month across the country. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has joined with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Illinois State Police, Gold Wing Road Riders Associa-tion, and A Brotherhood Aimed Toward Education (ABATE) to support efforts to urge Illinois motorists to “Start Seeing Motorcycles” and “Look Twice - Save a Life.” The safety coalition urged all motorists to share the road and recognized volunteers who participate in the annual Windshield Washing Project to raise awareness.

“More individuals are choosing fuel-efficient vehicles like motorcycles as their preferred mode of transportation, and that means more motor-cyclists are sharing the roads during warm weath-er months,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary

Ann Schneider. “To help prevent crashes and fatali-ties, we want all motorists to slow down, look twice, be aware of your surround-ings and don’t drive dis-tracted.”

The official campaign in Illinois kicked off at the site of the Old Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. Amy Martin, executive director of the Illinois Historic Pres-ervation Agency, noted that many ride motorcycles to visit historic sites such as the old state capitol.

“Riders and drivers will be taking to the highways to visit the Old State Capi-tol and other historic sites around the state,” said Mar-tin. “We want all of them to arrive safely, so please remember to drive care-fully and keep your eyes open for motorcyclists.”

“For the past 25 years, ABATE of Illinois, Inc. has been involved in motor-cycle safety, awareness and education. On the

first Sunday of May, all 65 chapters of ABATE of Illi-nois come to a motorcycle awareness rally in Spring-field to emphasize the importance of all motor-ists to ‘Start Seeing Motor-cycles,’” explained Mike Myers, State Coordinator, ABATE of Illinois. “Many lives would be saved if we all practiced, ‘Look Twice - Save a Life.’ This will ensure that not only our biking brothers and sis-ters will have a safe ride but that all motorists will return home to their fami-lies.”

“Don’t override your skills and abilities when riding your motorcycle this riding season,” said Dan Davis, Illinois District Educator, Gold Wing Road Riders Association. “We encourage all motorists to ‘Look Twice - Save a Life’ and to ‘Start Seeing Motor-cycles.’”

Nearly 150 motorcyclists died as a result of a motor

vehicle crash in 2012. Motorcycles make up just 3 percent of all registered motor vehicles, yet motor-cycle riders represented more than 15 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities in 2012. Research from the National Highway Traf-fic Safety Administration shows that motorcyclists are nearly 40 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in traffic crashes.

IDOT offers free Cycle Rider Safety Training courses statewide to help motorcycle riders acquire additional safety knowledge and training. More than 20,000 riders are expect-ed to receive training this year. For more information about class schedules of the Cycle Rider Safety Train-ing Program, “Start Seeing Motorcycles” and “Look Twice – Save a Life” cam-paigns or for other safety tips, visit www.startseeing-motorcycles.org.

By BarB Kromphardtbkromphardt@bcrnews.com

Parents who chose the name Jacob for their coo-ing bundle in blue last year should not be surprised if that child ends up going through his school years as “Jacob W.” or “Jacob C.”

For the 14th year in a row, parents have chosen the name Jacob for their sons more often than any other boy’s name, accord-ing to a newly-released report by the Social Secu-rity Administration.

Girls’ names, which vary more often than boys’ names, also held steady this year, with parents naming their newborn daughters Sophia more than any other name for the second year in a row.

The Top 10 boys and girls names remained the same except for Liam on the boys’ side and Eliza-beth on the girls’ side.

Liam, which had not been in the Top 10 last year, climbed all the way to No. 6, knocking Dan-iel off the chart. The Top 10 boys’ names, in order, are Jacob, Mason, Ethan, Noah, William, Liam, Jayden, Michael, Ethan, Alexander and Aiden.

Elizabeth, which was also not in the Top 10 last year, slipped into 10th place, nudging Chloe off the chart. On the girls’ side are, in order, Sophia, Emma, Isabella, Olivia, Ava, Emily, Abigail, Mia, Madison and Elizabeth.

The information is based on a 100 percent sample of Social Security card appli-cations as of the end of February 2013.

Sometimes name pref-erences can vary by state, but this year Illinois par-ents followed the trends.

In Illinois in 2011, Alex-ander and Sophia topped the charts. Last year, Jacob and Sophia were the top choices, with 758 parents choosing Jacob and 955 parents naming their baby girls Sophia.

The Top 10 boys’ names in Illinois, in order, are Jacob, Alexander, Noah, Michael, Ethan, Mason, Liam, Anthony, Jayden and Daniel.

The Top 10 girls’ names in Illinois, in order, are Sophia, Olivia, Isabella, Emma, Ava, Emily, Mia, Abigail, Sofia and Eliza-beth.

In addition to the top baby names, Social Secu-rity’s website offers lists of baby names for each year since 1880, and the “Change in Name Popu-larity” page. This year’s winners for biggest jump in popularity in the Top 500 are Major and Arya. The second fastest riser for boys was Gael, and for girls, Perla. Both names most likely are on the rise due to the increase in the Spanish-speaking popula-tion in the United States.

Social Security started compiling baby name lists in 1997, and the agency’s website offers lists of baby names for each year since 1880.

In the last 100 years, the male name Michael has held the top spot most often (44 times), while the female name Mary has been ranked No. 1 43 times during those years.

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5 PerspectiveFriday, May 24, 2013 • The Tonica News • 5

Considerations by Nedda

I watched a robin building a nest, and she can teach us all a thing about our own possessions.

She chose her building materials carefully and discarded many. Then she tucked, tugged, wrapped and occasionally sat down in the new house to see how it felt and perhaps check its structure. I actually saw her wriggle around to adjust things in her house. Now days later, she sits ... and sits ... and sits. Patience is called for now that the house is ready for new babies.

The tree holds the little home softly in its arms with the leaves hiding it from predators and weather. Together they promote life. It reminds me of human communities that form sharing groups to encourage and support us in any life phase we are in.

I live in an old house, and it is sturdy as the trees that were used to build it. But it needs to be cared for and repaired when it shows wear ... just like a good nest that can be used year after year. Just spruce it up, and it is ready to hold more memories and growth.

It is our obligation to take care of our prop-erty. If we eventually can’t afford to or don’t have the energy, we need to let someone help us do the right thing. Property is like a living thing to me and has a history unique to it alone. It has breath, history and stories that tell us about ourselves and others who lived within.

Letting property rot down into neglect means being a poor neighbor and friend to a struc-ture that has protected and sheltered us. Many structures have been made into new things. The materials or even the whole building can be used for other purposes. It is a dignified way for a building to go. Let it go with honor. We always have the memories, history and wisdom it had to offer us.

Have a discussion with your family what is to happen with buildings after you are gone. Absent landlords can easily forget the need for upkeep or some new purpose for the homestead. Those of us who buy property should also esti-mate how much upkeep it will take to maintain buildings over the years before considering tak-ing possession. Just a suggestion.

As we age, we think the responsibilities will get smaller. Ha! Ask for help. Friends, relatives and sometimes perfect strangers will help us along our way. Just ask.

And of course, don’t forget to be kind.Nedda Simon of rural Princeton can be reached

at neddasimon@ymail.com.

Tassel hassle

My kids are growing up, and I don’t like it. My son has now been around for two decades, and my 7-year-old girl will be turning 25 in July. At least it seems like it. Her latest attempt at adding years to her looks is by wearing those fake glasses that have lenses that don’t do anything. They look pretty good on her, and she knows it; but I told her that it’s a slap in the face to all of us people who have to wear glasses to be able to see. She looked down over the nosepiece of her new spectacles and informed me that she really didn’t care.

Last weekend, the boy received his associate’s degree from Spoon River College in Canton, Illinois. He really didn’t want to go through the graduation ceremony, but unfortu-nately for him, he has a mother that did. He may be 20, but he wasn’t going to win this battle.

It turned out to be a beautiful day, and we had a nice ride down to Can-ton. When I say we, I mean myself, my wife, my four-eyed daughter and my proud parents who wouldn’t miss going to something like this. On the way, we followed, met or encoun-tered in some way, absolutely every piece of farm equipment the state of Illinois has to offer. Even though we left home fairly early, by the time we made it to my son’s house, it was time for him to get going.

The graduation was held at a loca-tion that was approximately 10-15 minutes from the actual college in the small town of Cuba, Illinois. Since we already had a full car, we took separate vehicles to the cer-emony. The plan was that we were to follow him, since he knew where we were going. Inevitably, we some-how got split up. No big deal. It was just my son that needed to be there early. The rest of us still had plenty of time to arrive and find good seats.

However, for some reason, his cap and gown had ended up in our trunk, not his. My advice to all graduates this year ... never ever let your cap and gown out of your sight. You’ve earned them; you keep them. Trust me. It’s just better that way.

As we ambled around Cuba, look-ing for the graduation venue, we

received a couple of cell phone calls from the graduate wondering where the heck we were. Actually I think he was much more concerned about the location of the gown and his funny little hat than he was about the whereabouts of five close family members, but I understood his pre-dicament.

We pulled into the parking lot at about the same time he was sup-posed to be inside the building. So as my wife was approaching the curb to drop my parents off by the front door, I could see my son striding through the rows of automobiles to get to us. As I held the door open for my mom, he had my wife pop the trunk to get the aforementioned cap and gown.

As he picked up his garments, he decided he was going to throw the gown on right there in the parking lot. So he tossed the hat back in the trunk as he started putting his arms through the voluminous sleeves of the gown. I grabbed up the hat and shut the trunk, so that my wife could proceed to park the car while Mr. College finished dressing on the side-walk in front of the building. Every-thing was going to work out fine.

The moment the trunk lid slammed shut, I happened to notice the tassel was not connected to the mortarboard hat. In fact, it was nowhere to be seen. My son and I looked wide-eyed at each other as we imagined him not having a tas-sel to push over to the other side. I believe that might nullify the whole two-year degree. Hopefully the tas-sel was still in the trunk of the car which was just now starting to pull away from us.

Not wanting to cause a big fuss in front of the crowd of people who had come to see their friends and/or loved ones graduate from an institu-tion of higher learning, I utilized a subtle technique in attempting to get my wife to stop the car. Instead of yelling “Hey!! Stop the car!!!” and drawing any unwanted attention, I instead started following her bum-

per whispering, “Stop. Stop. Please stop.” and making strange hand ges-tures in hopes she would see me in the rearview mirror. She apparently did not. Or maybe she did. Either way, it worries me.

Meanwhile, my son followed as he continued to put on his royal blue graduation gown. Not to be left out, my bespectacled daughter also joined in on the slow-speed, silent chase through the bustling parking lot.

There we were, the three of us, me, silently whispering “stop” to myself while waving about my “jazz hands” ... my son, basically putting on the equivalent of a blue, light-weight summer dress ... and my daughter, wearing glasses that she doesn’t need, briskly walking behind an oblivious sage-green Mercury Montego that was going approxi-mately one-half miles-per-hour faster than we were. We looked like a trio of crazed, dressed-up speedwalk-ers that didn’t make the cut for the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics. Except slower.

A quarter of a mile later, we caught up to her. Actually, she parked the car. She wasn’t sure why we were there. I explained the situation. We all crossed our fingers as she popped the trunk and were happy to see the tassel laying on the donut-sized spare tire in all it’s tas-sely glory.

He made it to the ceremony on time, and everything else went just fine, although I think I saw several other of the graduation-goers point-ing and snickering at us as we took our seats on the gymnasium floor. Jerks.

My brand new college graduate is looking forward to an exciting future as he prepares to go off to Illinois State University next fall. He’ll prob-ably do what 90 percent of most graduates do and hang that trouble-making tassel from his rear-view mirror.

For those of you who don’t know, the rear-view mirror is that reflective thing stuck in the middle of your windshield.

You can contact Wallace at gwal-lace@bcrnews.com. You can follow him on his blog at http://gregwalla-ceink.blogspot.com.

The Editorial Page

Sam R FisherPublisher

Terri Simoneditor

The Tonica News

Letters to the Editor should not be more than 500 words in length. Only one per-son 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 num-ber 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 pub-lished 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.

“I will go out to my friend Richard Allen’s grave and place flowers, then work on cars all weekend.”

Roger Keef, Tonica

“I have no idea what we are doing.”

Jim Sluder, Tonica

“Spend time with family and cooking out.”

Tara Morgan, Tonica

“We are going to my daughter’s home in

Springfield.”Joyce Obermiller, Leonore

“I am going to remember the veterans, then spend time with the kids and

cooking out.”Tom Goskusky, Tonica

On the street What are your plans for Memorial Day?

Nedda Simon

COMMENTARY

GregWallaceFROM THE SKETCHBOOK

6 Life6 • The Tonica News • Friday, May 24, 2013

CommunityMuseum Committee will hold fundraiser

Cream of the Crop photo contest for students

Edgewood golf update

TONICA – The Tonica Museum Committee will sponsor a breakfast from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. June 2 at the American Legion Hall in Tonica. The menu will offer eggs, biscuits and gravy, sweet rolls,

sliced ham, fruit, juice and coffee for a donation of $7 for adults and $4 for children 10 and young-er. The group is raising money for new flooring at the American Legion Hall.

SPRINGFIELD — As part of the Ag Invest pro-gram, Illinois State Trea-surer Dan Rutherford is excited to announce the launch of the Cream of the Crop photo contest.

Students from across the state, ages 8 to 18, are invited to submit their most innovative, scenic

snapshot that depicts their vision of agriculture in the state. Three winning pho-tos will be displayed on new marketing material and will be displayed at the state fair and capitol, along with other prizes.

Visit www.treasurer.il.gov to learn more about the program details.

MCNABB – The Edge-wood Ladies League played the second week of their season on May 14. The play of the day was low gross. Hostesses were Kay Marincic and Diane Chiado.

Winners were: Flight A – Cyndi Palm; Flight B –

Judy Hopkins and Marin-cic; Flight C – Marge Van Ness.

Palm was low gross, while Van Ness was also low net. Low putt hon-ors were won by Kather-ine Gregorich and Palm, while chip-ins was won by Van Ness with 15.

Dr. Ford visits Lostant second-gradersBy Cindy Boldt

Special to the Tonica News

LOSTANT – The second-grade class at Lostant Grade School had a very special visi-tor on March 22. After reading a story titled, “A Day in the Life of a Vet-erinarian,” the children had the opportunity to meet and talk with an area veterinarian, Dr. Sara Ford. The students asked questions relating to their own pets. Ford demonstrated how she

examines a dog during a visit to the vet clinic where she works. She did a brief examination on Star, the school’s resi-dent dog. The students also had the opportu-nity to listen to Star’s heartbeat using Dr. Ford’s stethoscope. The students would like to thank Ford for such a great hands-on learning experience for their class at Lostant Grade School.

Cindy Boldt is the Lostant second-grade teacher.

The Amazing Race — Starved Rock StyleUTICA — Starved

Rock Lodge will put its own twist on the Amaz-ing Race this summer.

Fans of reality televi-sion are probably famil-iar with the format of the Amazing Race, but Starved Rock Lodge has taken that format and given it their own touch by integrating the histor-ic charm of Starved Rock State Park, Lodge and the surrounding area. Participants will enjoy the opportunity to work as a team to solve what activities director Edna Daugherty describes as “devious puzzles.”

Daugherty’s inspira-tion for The Amazing Race – Starved Rock Style comes, of course from the television show, but also from her own experience as a racer during a recent vacation.

“Using the lodge, park and surrounding com-munities as the setting for the race allows us to capitalize on all that is Starved Rock,” Daugh-erty said. Teams will

compete in pairs and will need a vehicle for at least one leg of the race. Participants will be provided with a Starved Rock backpack, bottle of water, a snack and at the end a complimentary beverage.

Without giving away too much information about the race, Daugh-erty assures participants a great day outdoors with physical and puzzle solving challenges for all. This one-day race is most appropriate for par-ticipants over the age of 8, so Moms and Dads can choose this event as something to look for-ward to on a summer Sunday afternoon.

The Amazing Race – Starved Rock Lodge Style is just one of many new events and activities offered at the lodge for Summer 2013. Visit the lodge website at www.starvedrocklodge.com for more information.

The Amazing Race – Starved Rock Lodge Style will be run on select Sun-

days from May through September. Choose from May 26, June 2 or 23, July 7 or 21, Aug. 4 or 25, and Sept. 1 or 15 as a race date. Advance reservations are required

for the race, and an over-night stay package is also available. Racers should contact the activities department at 815-220-7386 to book a team’s place in the race!

Photo contributedVeterinarian Sara Ford (right) holds Star while one of the Lostant second-graders gets to listen to the dog’s heart.

Library CornerLaSalle LibraryMay 28 — 9:30 a.m., “Babies & Books” literacy

program birth through 12 months; 10:45 a.m., “Tots & Tales” literacy program for 1 year olds; 11:45 a.m., “Storytime Express! ... Fun on the Run” literacy pro-gram for 3-5 year-olds.

Lostant Library May 28 — 10:30 a.m., Library Time, birth through

preschool age.

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7 LifeFriday, May 24, 2013 • The Tonica News • 7

Recipe Corner Tonica Grade School

Putnam County Community Center menus

Maybe you have your own salad greens growing in your garden. Even if you don’t a homemade salad dressing tastes so much better than those we buy at the store.

1000 Island Dressing2 quarts mayonnaise2 cups chili sauce1 cup ketchup1 cup sweet relish8 eggs, hard-boiled and chopped very fine2 teaspoons pepper1 teaspoon Accent

Mix ingredients well until well blended.

Blender Blue Cheese Dressing1/2 to 3/4 cup salad oil1/3 cup vinegar1/2 cup mayonnaise1 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon dry mustard1 small clove garlic2 ounces blue cheese

Put all into blender, cover and blend on high speed for 6 seconds. Makes 1 pint.

The Best French Dressing1 1/2 cups white sugar1 1/2 cups vegetable oil1/2 cup vinegar1 can cream of tomato soup1 cup Miracle Whip1 teaspoon seasoned salt

Mix all together and use on tossed salads.

Do you have a salad dressing you’d like to share with other readers? Email it to me at judyd2313@frontier.com. Please remember to include your name, address and telephone number (telephone number won’t be published). Happy Salad Dress-ing!

Breakfast menusMay 27 — No school,

Memorial Day.May 28 — No school,

teachers institute day.May 29 — Choice of

cereal or yogurt, toast, milk, juice.

May 30 — Choice of cereal or yogurt, toast, milk, juice.

Lunch menusMay 27 — No school,

Memorial Day.May 28 – No school,

teachers institute day.May 29 – Chef’s choice.May 30 - No lunch,

11:45 a.m. dismissal.

May 27 — Closed for Memorial DayMay 28 — Italian sausage with sauce, potato wedg-

es, three bean salad, diced pears, club roll.May 29 — Baked chicken quarters, au gratin pota-

toes, green beans, mandarin oranges, bread.May 30 — Pork chop with gravy, sweet potatoes,

steamed spinach, fruit cocktail, wheat bread.May 31 — Sweet and sour meatballs, jasmine rice,

Oriental vegetables, peanut butter cracker sandwich-es, pineapple juice.

JudyDyke

GRANDMA JUDY’S CAFE

Photo contributed

Tonica students qualify for stateTonica Grade School finished the track season with 10 students qualifying for the IESA State Track Meet. Seventh-grader Madison Freeman placed sixth at the meet in shot put for the second year in a row. Seventh-grader Lindsey Rimes set a new school record during this season running a 200-meter dash in 28.28 seconds. Eighth-grader Kyle Christman also set a new school record this season with a high jump height of 5 feet, 4 inches. Pictured are John Siemers (from left), Ryan Stevens, Lindsey Rimes, Tay-lor Johnson, Angela Bernardoni, Adia Sherbeyn, Kyle Christman, Madison Freeman, Nick McGee and Kendall Yeruski.

Beware of Memorial Day scamsMemorial Day is a time to honor

those who serve and remember those who have died in war. But sadly, it has also become a key opportunity for scammers to tar-get those who are serving or have served their nation, especially elderly veterans. As Memorial Day approaches, the Better Busi-ness Bureau urges consumers and donors to be aware of scammers who feed off the military.

BBB Military Line, the mili-tary arm of the Better Business Bureau, provides free resources, such as financial literacy informa-tion, access to BBB services and scam alerts, and complaint and dispute resolution for all branches of the U.S. military.

BBB warns of the following scams that are directed at service members:

• High priced military loans: Advertisements for loans that promise a guarantee, instant approval or no credit check will often come with hidden fees and extremely high interest rates. Remember that legitimate lenders will never guarantee a loan before

you apply, and loans that require an upfront fee are likely a scam.

• Veterans’ benefits buyout plans: This buyout plan will offer a cash payment in exchange for a disabled veteran’s future ben-efits or pension payments. The cash amount is only about 30 to 40 percent of what the veteran is entitled to. These buyout plans can be structured in several differ-ent ways, so research thoroughly before signing anything over.

• Phony jury duty summons: A caller clams to work for the local court system and states that the service member did not show up for jury duty and now has a war-rant out for their arrest. When the victim says they never got a summons, the caller will ask for a credit card number or Social Security number to clear up the matter.

• Misleading car sales: Websites posting classified ads will offer false discounts for military person-nel or claim to be from soldiers who need to sell their vehicle fast, since they have been deployed. Upfront fees will be required via

wire transfer, or the vehicle will have problems after purchase.

• Expensive life insurance poli-cies: Members of the military are often the targets of high pressured sales pitches that offer unneces-sary, expensive life insurance poli-cies. Solicitors may make false statements regarding the benefits that these policies offer.

BBB recommends the following tips to avoid scams:

• Do your research. Get as much information as you can about a business or charity before you pay. Check out a business’ BBB Busi-ness Review at bbb.org or a char-ity’s Charity Report at give.org.

• Don’t wire transfer money to anyone you don’t know. Money sent via wire transfer is practically impossible to track. Pay by credit card whenever possible, since you can dispute charges easily.

• Protect your computer. Don’t click on links within unsolicited emails. Don’t enter personal infor-mation on unfamiliar websites. Make sure that you have updated anti-virus software installed and use a firewall at all times.

• • •

Items for the Community sectioncan be emailed to news@tonicanews.com.

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8 Grad

Austin Bernardoni Ronald Cavanagh Abigail Coons Brianna Daniels James Finney Dru Gallik Noah Gillespie Paige Haynes

Cheyenne Hochstetler Brianna Huss Matthew Janz Kelly McCleary Melissa Mejia Matthew Nowakowski Seth Schiffbauer Emily Schmidt

Bret Storm Whitney Templeton Katie Turner Jonathan vonBehren Aaron Walgenbach Heather Zulkowsky

Tonica/Lostant area graduates

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Stephen Ebener Megan Fitzgerald

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8 • The Tonica News • Friday, May 24, 2013

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9 Grad

Avery Beasley Hope Bernardoni Isabella Brooker Kyle Christman Tatum Doll Janelle Foltynewicz Paige Harms Will Hocking

Rachel Huska Taylor Johnson Tea Lamboley Amy Lund Diamond Patterson Noah Rimes Amber Schiffbauer Jonathan Siemers

Reilly Sluder Ryan Stevens Seth Struck Brennan Thompson Lexi Verda

Tonica Grade School

Friday, May 24, 2013 • The Tonica News • 9

Tonica Grade School

In the face of ever-rising education costs, students – including many of the area’s best – are discovering they can save thousands by attending IVCC first. This year, 13 of the district’s top high school graduates, including six valedictorians, are attending IVCC. Over the past five years, 44 of the area’s top students chose IVCC first and saved $30,000 or more.

2012 Helen Taylor Scholars include Nadia Churchill-Gilstrap, Princeton valedictorian, left, Joe Dimmig, Mendota valedictorian, Joe Sydlowski, LP salutatorian, Ashlee Heider, LP top two percent, Marissa Washington, Streator valedictorian and Hannah Kosciewicz, Hall top two percent. Make the smart move, start college at home.

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10 Grad

Lauren Bernardoni Madison Dose Emily Edwall Austin Ellis Alyssa Forrest Katie French Brandon Madonna Rachel Maggio

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Morgan Phillips Tyera Powell Nolan Severson

Lostant Grade School

10 • The Tonica News • Friday, May 24, 2013

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11 Life/ClassFriday, May 24, 2013 • The Tonica News • 11

History ... according to The Tonica News10 years ago

Lois Swift entertained the Tonica Club in her home on April 1. A White Elephant sale was featured.

Lois Janz, 91, formerly of Tonica, died April 22 in Heri-tage Manor in Peru where she had been a resident for 13 years. Services were April 14, in the Hurst Funeral Home, Tonica. Mrs. Janz worked at the Tonica News office with her father, her husband and a niece for more than 60 years. She was

the publisher from 1959 to her retirement in 1989. She served as a mentor to her niece, Elin Arnold, when she purchased and took over the Putnam County Record in 1979.

Stephen Lesniak, formerly of Tonica, was serving as secu-rity chief of the U.S. Embassy in Guyana when he was kid-napped April 12 by gunmen but was released hours later unharmed after a ransom was paid. Lesniak is the son of Gene and Joyce Lesniak of Tonica.

30 years agoThe Tonica Fire-Ettes held a

bake sale and afghan raffle that netted $600.

Among artists in this year’s art show at IVCC was Patrick Arnold, a first-year art student at IVCC. He lives in Toni-ca with his father and step-mother, Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Arnold. He had four items on display.

Candidates running for vil-lage president of Tonica included Jim Sluder and Roger

Thompson. Candidates for vil-lage trustee were Floyd Rowe, Robert Dose, Verne Siemers, Michael Supan, Ray Bockman and Ken Lance.

The 1983 officers of the Tonica High School Alumni association were as follows: Al Milner, president; Claudine Theisinger, vice president; Jim Ebner, treasurer; and Karla Goskusky, secretary.

Cheryl Sons was welcomed as a new member when the Tonica Fire-Ettes opened their

meeting on March 23.A daughter was born to Mr.

and Mrs. James Redshaw on March 17.

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Schmitt of El Paso became the parents of a daughter on March 18. The mother was the former Beth Loebach of Leonore.

100 years agoG.W. Hartenbower held a

four-day farm implement exhi-bition. H.I. Baldwin withdrew from the grocery firm of Water-bury & Baldwin at Lowell.

NOTICE OF SALEIN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE THIRTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUITCOUNTY OF LASALLE-OTTAWA,

LASALLE COUNTY, ILLINOISFIRST NATIONAL BANK OF OMAHA, )

Plaintiff, ) vs. )CYNTHIA L. FOX, FIRST NATIONAL BANK ) OF OMAHA, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO )CASTLE BANK N.A. and LAKE HOLIDAY )PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., ) Defendant. )

12-CH-487Property Address: 639 Rustic Rook Dr.Somonauk, IL 60552 PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that, pursu-ant to a Judgment of the above Court entered in the above-entitled cause on February 15, 2013, the Sheriff of LaSalle County will, at 10:45 a.m. on June 28, 2013, in the Sheriff’s Office Lobby at the Government Complex, 707 Etna Road, Ottawa, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Permanent Index Number: 05-04-306-023 Commonly known as: 639 Rustic Rook Dr., Somonauk, IL 60552 The real estate is improved with a single fam-ily residence. The Judgment amount is $141,805.84. Sale terms: The bid amount, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, shall be paid in certified funds immediately by the highest and best bidder at the conclusion of the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments or special taxes levied against said real estate, and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to the Plaintiff. The Sale is further subject to confir-mation by the Court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser shall receive a Certificate of Sale, which will entitle the purchaser to a Deed to the real estate after confirmation of the Sale. The property will NOT be open for inspec-tion. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the Court file to verify all information. For information contact Plaintiff’s Attorney: Heavner, Scott, Beyers & Mihlar, LLC, 111 E. Main St., Decatur, Illinois 62523 (217) 422-1719. The purchaser of a condominium unit at a judicial foreclosure sale, other than a mort-gagee, who takes possession of a condominium unit pursuant to a court order or a purchaser who acquires title from a mortgagee shall have the duty to pay the proportionate share, if any, of the common expenses for the unit which would have become due in the absence of any assessment acceleration during the 6 months immediately preceding institution of an action to enforce the collection of assessments, and which remain unpaid by the owner during whose possession the assessments accrued. If the outstanding assessments are paid at any time during any action to enforce the collec-tion of assessments, the purchaser shall have no obligation to pay any assessments which accrued before he or she acquired title. If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5 (g)(l). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701 (c) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. Note: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act you are advised that the Law Firm of Heavner, Scott, Beyers & Mihlar, LLC, is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt, and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.I531116Published in the Tonica News May 17, 24 and 31, 2013.

129 W. Walnut Street, Oglesby, IL 61348. Claims against the estate may be filed with the office of the Circuit Clerk, Probate Division,LaSalle County Courthouse, Downtown Courthouse, Ottawa, IL 61350, or with the representative, or both, within 6 months from the date of issuance of letters, and any claim not filed within that period is barred. Copies of a claim filed with the Clerk must be mailed or delivered to the rep-resentative and to the attorney within 10 days after it has been filed.

Andrew SkoogClerk of the 13th

Judicial Circuit CourtOttawa, Illinois

Published in the Tonica News May 17, 24 and 31, 2013.

NOTICE OF PREVAILING WAGE

ORDINANCE Lostant CUSD 425 passed an ordinance on May 20, 2013 estab-lishing prevailing wage rates for workers on new construction or improvement (not main-tenance) projects, to be the same as those in LaSalle County as deter-mined by the Illinois Department of Labor. Anyone wishing to inspect the Ordinance may do so at the office of Lostant CUSD 425, 315 West 3rd Street, Lostant, IL 61334 by calling 815-368-3392 for an appointment. Dianna Ioerger, School Board President, Lostant CUSD 425.Published in the Tonica News May 24, 2013.

a Judgment of the above Court entered in the above-entitled cause on February 15, 2013, the Sheriff of LaSalle County will, at 10:45 a.m. on June 28, 2013, in the Sheriff’s Office Lobby at the Government Complex, 707 Etna Road, Ottawa, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described real estate:

Lot 639 in Addition Number 2 of Lake Holiday Development, Northville Township, according to the Plat thereof recorded 19 July 1965, as Document No. 513350, in Plat Book X at Page 52 in LaSalle County, Illinois.

Permanent Index Number: 05-04-306-023 Commonly known as: 639 Rustic Rook Dr., Somonauk, IL 60552 The real estate is improved with a single family residence. The Judgment amount is $141,805.84. Sale terms: The bid amount, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, shall be paid in certified funds immediately by the highest and best bidder at the conclusion of the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments or special taxes levied against said real estate, and is offered for sale without any representation as to qual-ity or quantity of title and without recourse to the Plaintiff. The Sale is further subject to confirma-tion by the Court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the pur-chaser shall receive a Certificate of Sale, which will entitle the purchaser to a Deed to the real estate after confirmation of the Sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the Court file to verify all information. For information contact Plaintiff’s Attorney: Heavner, Scott, Beyers & Mihlar, LLC, 111 E. Main St., Decatur, Illinois 62523 (217) 422-1719. The purchaser of a condominium unit at a judi-cial foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, who takes possession of a condominium unit pursuant to a court order or a purchaser who acquires title from a mortgagee shall have the duty to pay the proportionate share, if any, of the common expens-es for the unit which would have become due in the absence of any assessment acceleration during the 6 months immediately preceding institution of an action to enforce the collection of assessments, and which remain unpaid by the owner during whose possession the assessments accrued. If the outstanding assessments are paid at any time dur-ing any action to enforce the collection of assess-ments, the purchaser shall have no obligation to pay any assessments which accrued before he or she acquired title. If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5 (g)(l). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701 (c) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. Note: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act you are advised that the Law Firm of Heavner, Scott, Beyers & Mihlar, LLC, is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt, and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.I531116Published in the Tonica News May 17, 24 and 31, 2013.

NOTICE OF SALEIN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE THIRTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUITCOUNTY OF LASALLE-OTTAWA,

LASALLE COUNTY, ILLINOISFIRST NATIONAL BANK OF OMAHA, ) Plaintiff, ) vs. )CYNTHIA L. FOX, FIRST NATIONAL BANK )OF OMAHA, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO )CASTLE BANK N.A. and LAKE HOLIDAY )PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., ) Defendant. )

12-CH-487Property Address: 639 Rustic Rook Dr. Somonauk, IL 60552 PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that, pursuant to

LEGAL NOTICE Notice is hereby given that during the regular meeting of the Board of Education of Tonica Community Consolidated School District #79 held on May 15, 2013, a resolution ascertaining the pre-vailing rates of wages for LaSalle County, Illinois, for laborers, workmen and mechan-ics employed on public works of said school district as determined by the Illinois Department of Labor. This ordi-nance is on file and on public display in the school district office at 535 N 1981 Rd, Tonica, IL 61370 and is available for public inspection. Dated this 16th day of May 2013.

Scott Obermiller, Secretary

Published in the Tonica News May 24, 2013.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE THIRTEENTH

JUDICIAL CIRCUITLASALLE COUNTY,

ILLINOISESTATE OF )NORMA JUNE ) GARCIA, ) DECEASED. )

2013-P-80PUBLICATION FOR

CLAIMSCLAIM NOTICE

Estate of NORMA JUNE GARCIA, Deceased. Notice is given of the death of NORMA JUNE GARCIA of Oglesby, Illinois. Letters of office were issued on May 7, 2013, to JILL PETRUSHA, 559 Florence Rd, Libby, MT 59923, whose attorney is GERALD M. HUNTER,

3 quality office desks$100 each; Padded officechair $50; Solid Oak deskchair $50. 309-287-1258in Tonica

- 200 -Employment

228 • Help Wanted

232 • BusinessOpportunities

- 400 -Merchandise

450 • Under $1000The Tonica News

reserves the right to classi-fy correctly, edit, reject orcancel any advertisementat any time in accordancewith its policy. All ads mustbe checked for errors bythe advertiser, on the firstday of publication. We willbe responsible for the firstincorrect insertion, and itsliabilities shall be limited tothe price on one insertion.

CLASSIFIED LINE AD &LEGAL DEADLINES:

• Friday Paper deadline Friday before by 3pm

We Accept

Call 815-875-4461classified@bcrnews.com

General Termsand Policies

**********THE CLASSIFIED

AdvertisingDepartment of the

Tonica NewsDoes not have the op-portunity to fully inves-tigate the credibility ofeach advertiser appear-ing within thesecolumns. If an offersounds “too good to betrue” it probably is.Proceed with caution ifyou are asked to sendmoney or to give acredit card number.Proceed with caution incalling 900 phone num-bers. All phone num-bers prefixed by”900”are charged to theCALLER. Charges maybe assessed on a “perminute” basis ratherthan a “per call” basis.The Tonica News Clas-sifieds makes every ef-fort to qualify thesecharges for the reader.If you have a concernabout an advertiser,please contact:

Better BusinessBureau

330 North WabashChicago, IL 60611

312 832-0500

BARTENDERPart-time including alter-nating weekends. Apply inperson. KaddywampusSports Grill, downtownGranville.

No phone calls please

Soft top/Jeep Wrangler$550; tonneau cover/FordRanger, $250; runningboards/Jeep Wrangler$95. 815-303-2494

- 700 -Real Estate For Sale

767 • Mobile Home Sales

****************PUBLISHER'S NOTICE

All real estate advertis-ing in this newspaper issubject to the FairHousing Act whichmakes it illegal to ad-vertise “any preference,limitation or discrimina-tion based on race, col-or, religion, sex, handi-cap, familial status ornational origin, or an in-tention, to make anysuch preference, limita-tion or discrimination.”Familial status includeschildren under the ageof 18 living with par-ents or legal custodi-ans, pregnant womenand people securingcustody of children un-der 18.This newspaper will notknowingly accept anyadvertising for real es-tate which is in viola-tion of the law. Ourreaders are hereby in-formed that alldwellings advertised inthis newspaper areavailable on an equalopportunity basis.To complain of discrim-ination call, HUD toll-free at 800 669-9777.The toll-free telephonenumber for the hearingimpaired is 800 927-9275

999 • Legal Notices999 • Legal Notices999 • Legal Notices– Classifieds –

We’re Taking FreeClassified Advertisingfor all items valued under $1,000!

• Up to 5 lines of copy• 3 items maximum in ad• 1 ad per week, per household• Private party sales only• Excludes services, firearms & animal sales

E-mail itemsfor sale to:classified@

bcrnews.com

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU MIGHT FIND right here in the Bureau County Republican Classified! You could find furniture, appliances, pets, musical instruments, tools, anything. You might even find a kitchen sink!

LOOKING FOR A NEW pLAcE TO LIVE? Let the Bureau County Republican Classified help you find it.

12

Collectors Coming to Town with Pockets Full of Cash.

BY STEVE TURNCHOCK STAFF WRITER

Got gold? If you are lucky enough to have gold coins, jew-elry, or even dental gold you might be sitting on a small for-tune. Did you know a 14K gold chain could be worth as much as $800? Or a silver dollar could be worth over $1000? Those are the kind of prices being paid this week, said Jeff ‘the Coin Guy,’

one of the collectors/buyers in town this week.

If you have one coin or an entire collection, these collec-tors want to see you. There are two ways to cash in on your old coins. First, there is the gold or silver metal value. Due to the high prices of gold at near-ly $1700 per ounce and silver around $32 per ounce, coins are

worth big bucks right now. Sec-ond, coins are worth even more because of the collector value. A rare coin, like a 1893S Morgan dollar, could be worth as much as $4500 in pristine condition. A 1937D Buffalo Nickel could go for $3000 in the right condition.

Gold or silver in any form will be purchased, and they are paying cash.

COME SEE US & CASH IN WE WILL TREAT YOU FAIRLY AND HONESTLY

CASH FOR GOLDD I AM O N D S | W H I T E & YE L LO W G O L D J E W E L RYV I N TAG E B R AC E L E TS | H AT P I N S | C L A S S R I N G S

W E D D I N G S E TS | B R O K E N J E W E L RY | E S TAT ER U B I E S & S A P P H I R E S | M I S MATC H E D E A R R I N G S

CASH FOR GOLD & SILVER

J E W E L RY | D E N TA L G O L D | S I LV E R & G O L D B A R SS T E R L I N G S I LV E R | S I LV E R CO I N S | G O L D CO I N S

CASH FOR POCKET WATCHES & WRIST

WATCHES

CASH FOR COSTUME JEWELRY

E I S E N B E R GCO R O

C H A N E LC R O W N T R I FA R I

S P H I N XM O N E T

M I R I A M H A S K E L LN A P I E R

D I O RCO V E N T RY

W E I S SM I M I D I N

H O BÉ

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

JEFFERSON “WAR” NICKEL MERCURY DIMELIBERTY “V” NICKEL

BARBER QUARTER WASHINGTON QUARTER

WALKING LIBERTY HALF FRANKLIN HALF MORGAN DOLLAR

$10 LIBERTY HEAD EAGLE

$20 LIBERTY HEAD DOUBLE EAGLE

ROOSEVELT DIME STANDING LIBERTY QUARTER

BARBER HALF

KENNEDY HALF TRADE DOLLAR

PEACE DOLLAR $10 INDIAN EAGLE $20 ST. GAUDENS DOUBLE EAGLE

BUFFALO NICKEL BARBER DIME

CASH FOR GOLD AND SILVER

7 DAY EVENTMAY 20 - 26

MONDAY–SATURDAY 9am–6pm SUNDAY 9am–4pm

LA QUINTA INN & SUITES4389 VENTURE DR, PERU, IL

INFO? 217.732.1888 DIREC TIONS 815.224.9000

CASH FOR

GOLD!

WE’RE BACK! IN PERU. 7 DAYS ONLY COLLECTORS PAYING CASH for gold, silver, coins & antiques

12 • The Tonica News • Friday, May 24, 2013