Greenville Illinois News WGEL Daily

3-3-2008

HEALTH FAIR PRE-REGISTRATION

Health Fair 2008 is March 14^th. Pre-registration for the health fair begins on Monday, March 3^rd at seven locations throughout Bond County. You can pre-register, on March 3^rd, at the First United Methodist Church from 8:30 am - 4:00 PM and at First Bank from 9:00 am - 3:00 PM. Pre-register on March 3rd and 7^th at National Bank in Keyesport, from 8:30 am - 4:00 PM. Pre-registrations will be held on March 3, 7, & 10 at the Pocahontas Village Hall from 9:00 am - 3:00 PM, the Mulberry Grove Firehouse from 8:30 am - 4:00 PM, and the Sorento Municipal Center from 9:00 am - 4:00 PM. Pre-registration will be held daily, March 3-12, from 8:30 am - 4:30 PM at the Bond County Senior Center in Greenville.

Pre-registration is necessary if you plan to receive a blood test prior to 2:30 PM. Those who do not pre-register, will be received after 2:30.

CORNELIUS RECEIVES THANKS BADGE

At their annual meeting, February 16^th, in Vincennes, Indiana, the Girl Scouts of Shagbark Council honored Jane Cornelius, of Mulberry Grove, with the highest recognition for volunteers in Girl Scouting, the Thanks Badge. Criteria for the badge includes performance truly outstanding and benefiting the total council or entire Girl Scout Movement, service so significantly beyond expectations that no other award is appropriate, and four letters of endorsement. Cornelius is also a past recipient of the Appreciation Pin, the second highest recognition for volunteers.

Lesa Vaughn, GSSC Membership Services Manager said of Cornelius, "She is truly amazing and because of her volunteerism, the entire council has benefited by her increasing membership, assisting at GSSC events, and providing training opportunities."

Jane Cornelius has held many positions while volunteering with the Girl Scouts of Shagbark Council, but most importantly, she has been a great role model and mentor to many girls.

FEBRUARY RAIN AND SNOW TOTALS

We got some much-needed rain in addition to a fair amount of snow in February. Official totals for the city of Greenville, for February rainfall, show 3.77 inches recorded at the sewer plant, 3.95 inches at 6^th Street, and 3.93 inches of rain recorded at Idler and Rt. 140. February snowfall totals are impressive. 15.25 inches of snow were measured at the sewer plant and 16.25 inches at both the location on 6^th Street the recording station on Idler and Rt. 140.

POSSIBLE STATE LOAN & REQUESTS OF EXEMPTION WAIVERS FROM SCHOOLS

According to a press release from Senator Watson, the State of Illinois may be securing a short-term loan in order to fulfill the state’s financial obligations. Top officials are looking into this loan to pay off the state’s billion dollar bill backlog. However, many lawmakers do not support additional borrowing; instead, they would encourage fiscal reforms and restrained spending.

In other financial news, nineteen Illinois high schools are requesting exemption waivers from the new graduated driver’s license requirement the General Assembly approved last year. Many schools are seeking to split the mandated six hours of behind-the-wheel driving between simulators and actual driving experiences. The schools are claiming the cost of hiring driving instructors is the reason for the waiver. In many districts, the estimated cost is over $500,000.

GOVERNOR'S CONFERENCE ON TOURISM MEETS IN SPRINGFIELD

The Governor's Conference on Tourism was recently held in Springfield and some interesting visitor statistics were shared. Illinois is the 7^th most popular state for overseas visitors and in 2006, travelers spent almost $28.3 billion in Illinois. With current economic conditions affecting travel, more families are taking vacations within a 4 - 6 hour drive of home with many visitors coming from neighboring states.

The Illinois Bureau of Tourism and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity also shared information that there is a major push to promote Chicago as the location for the 2016 Olympics. If Chicago should be selected, this would be a major boost for Illinois Tourism.

SAFETY REMINDERS WHEN USING BACK UP ELECTRICITY

During long-term power outages, many rely on portable generators for emergency power. The growing popularity of this source of energy back-up has resulted in millions of units being placed in homes and businesses across the U.S. However, only small percentages are hooked up correctly.

According to Molly Hall, director of Safe Electricity, improper installation could be dangerous and threaten the lives of family and neighbors. Consult and discuss purchase options with a vendor, your electric supplier and contractor. Have a qualified electrician install a transfer switch, read and follow all operating instructions and use proper extension cords. For more details, visit www.SafeElectricity.org.

OBITUARIES

None to Report

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