Agriculture & Environment

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Through the lens: Photographer documents life on Illinois River

CHAMPAIGN – A man rows on the Illinois River at dawn, bathed in orange light.

Another, adventurer Steven Antonacci, kayaks across jagged ice covering the river, heading to his home near Chillicothe.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Proposed Vermilion County wind turbine ordinance to get hearing

DANVILLE – On Monday, Vermilion County Board members will get their first opportunity to discuss a new ordinance that will regulate the creation of wind turbines in Vermilion County.

Several developers of wind turbine farms are considering building in the county, more specifically in the southwest, northwest and northern parts of Vermilion.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Whooping cranes drop by for a visit in Piatt County

A flock of one of the most endangered species of birds made its first visit to Piatt County on Friday afternoon.

Led by four ultralight planes piloted by volunteers wearing bird puppets on their hands, 14 young whooping cranes soared through the central Illinois skies on their first migration south before landing in a corn field in rural Piatt County.

After spending the night at the farm, the birds and handlers were scheduled to continue their 1,285-mile journey this morning to their new winter home in Florida.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Asbestos-laden pipes will be removed from former military base

RANTOUL – Approximately 6,000 feet of asbestos-laden steam pipes will soon be removed from the former Chanute Air Force Base.

Removal of the steam pipes has long been a bone of contention between the Air Force and the village for more than a decade, with both sides arguing that the other side was responsible for them.

"Because the property is under lease to the village of Rantoul, there has been some discussion concerning responsibility for the piping," Paul Carroll said. "But the Air Force decided to proceed with the removal and cleanup to protect against potential exposure and human health concerns."

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Danville biofuels plant starting production process today

DANVILLE – After two years of construction, the new biodiesel facility adjacent to Bunge Milling in downtown Danville goes operational today and should start producing the first batch of biodiesel next month.

Natural landscape photographer to speak at Prairie Rivers event

CHAMPAIGN – Tim Palmer, an award-winning photographer of America's rivers and natural landscapes, will talk at a local dinner Friday night.

He will be at the 11th annual dinner sponsored by Prairie Rivers Network. It starts with a social hour at 6 p.m. Friday, followed by the 7 p.m. dinner, at the I Hotel and Conference Center, 1802 S. First St., C.

Students plan to hold recycling drop-off for electronics items

CHAMPAIGN – How can you build by subtracting?

Students at Next Generation School have found the answer – they're holding an electronics recycling drop-off from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 2414 Galen Drive, next to the Cardinal Fitness Center at Galen and Windsor Road.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

READY Program team wins $10,000 in Lexus Eco Challenge

CHAMPAIGN – The environmental measures initiated by students at the READY Program – turning off lights when no one is in the room, laminating hall passes to save paper, recycling whatever they can – are probably saving the school some pennies.

But they've also brought in some real money to the school and the students.

Catlin postpones infrastructure exam to allow for more review

CATLIN – Village officials said Tuesday they want to review drainage-district records prior to having village engineers assess the storm water drainage infrastructure on the village's south side.

Catlin Village Board members recently had a contractor remove overgrowth, dig out silt buildups and clear drainage culverts underneath driveways in the ditches that run near Sandusky, Burgess, Paris, Harrison and Lookout streets.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Salt Fork deer business thrives, but not all neighbors thrilled

ST. JOSEPH – A thriving deer-butchering operation on the Salt Fork River has been rezoned from family business to "major rural specialty business" after hearings that addressed some neighbors' complaints about odors.

River Bend Wild Game and Sausage Co., 1161 County Road 2400E, was started by a University of Illinois meat science worker, Charles Stites, as a family business.

Vermilion County's Toddling into Nature camps set this week

DANVILLE – The Vermilion County Conservation District will offer Toddling into Nature programs for children ages 3, 4 and 5 at Kennekuk County Park.

The programs will include songs, activities, games and more. Parents, grandparents or guardians will also be participants in the camp designed to connect younger children to the outdoor world.

Vermilion County committee focuses on plan for wind farms

DANVILLE – Vermilion County officials forged ahead Monday with their first discussion on how to regulate the potential construction of wind-turbine farms in the absence of a countywide zoning system.

Several wind-turbine companies are seriously considering the county for development of alternative-energy farms, but the county is different from other counties where wind farms already exist because Vermilion has no zoning.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Chanute agency told Air Force pulling out of project

RANTOUL – The Air Force is likely pulling out of a proposed joint project with the village to improve drainage in south Rantoul and to backfill an excavation area.

As a result, the cost of developing land by the Rantoul airport for new industries has gone up – by as much as $600,000.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Ford County Board gives final clearance for wind farm

PAXTON – Ford County's first wind farm project has gained final approval for construction of 96 wind turbines in Rogers Township, the county's northernmost township.

Ford County Board members approved an application by K4 Wind Farm LLC for a special-use permit on Monday. The company, which has spent more than two years in the planning stages, previously gained approval from both the county's zoning and plan commissions.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

UI agricultural economist says prices reflect possible recession

CHAMPAIGN – Just as the rise of ethanol prices helped to fuel increased income for farmers over the past two years, a University of Illinois economist said the recent drop in ethanol prices may be leading to an agricultural recession that has already cut the prices of crops in half.

UI Professor of Agricultural and Consumer Economics Scott Irwin said his studies indicate that the fortunes of farmers are now more closely connected to the prices paid at the gas pumps than to changes in prices paid at the grocery stores.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Vermilion County Farm Bureau taking orders for holiday food

DANVILLE – The Vermilion County Farm Bureau is taking orders for fresh Florida citrus as well as specialty nuts and candies for the holidays.

Orders, including payment, must be in by Nov. 26 and will be delivered Dec. 15. Available are fersh oranges, grapefruits and tangelos in both the four-fifths and the two-fifths bushel boxes. Fruit comes from the Florida Agriculture Marketing Association. Also available are frozen orange juice concentrate, pecans, mixed nuts, cashews, dried apricots, malted milk balls and trail mix.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Feeling the Pinch: Backyard bounty can lower grocery bills

CHAMPAIGN – In tough economic times, a garden harvest can help a family get through the winter.

On the east side of Champaign, 79-year-old homemaker Nina Sibley estimates she saves more than $300 a year by freezing vegetables grown in her gardens.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Students learn about geothermal energy project

CHAMPAIGN – The problem: Explain geothermal heating and cooling so elementary school students can understand it.

The solution: Start with a cartoon.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Tank mishap temporarily closes U.S. 150

MAHOMET – An anhydrous ammonia tank on a truck turned on its side Friday afternoon, temporarily halting traffic on U.S. 150.

Mahomet police blocked the east-west lanes of U.S. 150 between Prairieview and Barker roads about 3 p.m. Friday after the tank turned on its side. The truck was westbound on U.S. 150 and hauling two small farm anhydrous tanks and made a U-turn in the roadway, said Mahomet Officer Ike Beers.

Violation of rules at St. Joseph recycling site leads to closure

ST. JOSEPH – Abuse of St. Joseph's recycling center has led the village to permanently close the facility after Nov. 15.

Farmers, firefighters work to save grain from blaze

THOMASBORO – Nearly 30 firefighters spent more than eight hours Thursday saving thousands of bushels of corn from a fire after a dryer unit malfunctioned in a grain bin.

Thomasboro firefighters were called out at 1:30 p.m. to 1473 County Road 2500 North, where a grain bin owned by Ehler Brothers was on fire.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Turn over a new leaf: How to make this fall's raking duties easier

Leaves left on your lawn over the winter will kill the grass, says Connie Thomas of Champaign, who's training to be a Master Gardener. If you have a mulching mower, shred your leaves. They'll decompose over time.

But don't be too quick to pull out the rake. Generally speaking, you'll rake less if you wait for all the leaves to fall.