Local blood drives set

The American Red Cross is seeking eligible blood donors. The Red Cross encourages eligible donors to make an appointment to give during National Blood Donor Month by visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.

Upcoming opportunities include:

• Jan. 3, 3-6 p.m. at Revive, 1105 W. Beltline Road in Collinsville;
• Jan. 6, 2:30-6:30 p.m. at Highland Hope United Methodist Church, 12846 Daiber in Highland;
• Jan. 8, 2-7 p.m. at Alton Wood River Sportsmen’s Club, 3109 Godfrey Road in Godfrey;
• Jan. 9, 1-4 p.m. at Villa Rose Senior Living Community, 401 S. Moreland Road in Bethalto;
• Jan. 9, 3-7 p.m. at Alhambra Elementary School, 302 W. Main in Alhambra;
• Jan. 14, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 30 Hairpin Drive in Edwardsville;
• Jan. 15, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Illinois State Police Department, 1100 E. Port Plaza in Collinsville.

Kids’ activities available at First Night 2014

The 19th annual First Night River Bend will offer a host of activities for children of all ages on New Year’s Eve at the Godfrey campus of Lewis and Clark Community College. Family-friendly entertainment will run from 3-7 p.m. in the newly renovated Hatheway Cultural Center. First Night concludes with a firework show at 7 p.m.

First Night buttons will are on sale at Party Magic and all Liberty Bank locations. Buttons are $10. Children 5 and under are admitted free.

For a complete schedule of entertainers and events, visit www.lc.edu/firstnight.

SIUE offers tour of Cuba

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Photographers Tour of Cuba is scheduled for March 9-15, 2014. It is the first tour to Cuba available to people in the greater St. Louis area. Travelers will experience a rare opportunity to explore Cuba from a photographer’s perspective. The tour is designed for amateurs, professionals and anyone interested in photography. The group of 24 individuals also will meet with professional Cuban photographers.

A tour guide and translator will lead the group. Highlights will include the Hotel Plaza in Old Havana, exploring Havana and the Morro-Cabanas complex, traveling to Cojimar, Regla and Fototeca (the Cuban photo archives). More information is available at siue.edu/cubatrip.

Prices are based on a Miami departure. Travelers must make their own arrangements to get to Miami for the flight to Havana, which leaves at 1 p.m. March 9. All prices are based on double occupancy: $3,000 for general community members; $2,800 for SIUE alumni basic members or SIUE faculty/staff; and $2,600 for SIUE alumni premium members or SIUE students. A $500 nonrefundable deposit is due Jan. 9 to reserve a spot. Final payment is due Feb. 7. Payment should be made to SIUE Office of Educational Outreach. The trip is restricted to those 18 years old and older. The trip is offered through a partnership between the SIUE Alumni Association and the SIUE Office of Educational Outreach.

Call Cathy McNeese (cmcnees@siue.edu) at 618-650-3208 in the SIUE Office of Educational Outreach or Photographers Tour of Cuba Coordinator C. Otis Sweezey (osweeze@siue.edu) at 618-650-2360.

MCT announces holiday hours

MCT bus service’s holiday hours are: 

• Jan. 1: no bus service. 
• Jan. 2: normal bus service.

Call 6180797-4636, or e-mail info@mct.org.

Green industry conference announced

The Gateway Green Industry Conference will be held Jan. 14-15 at the Gateway Convention Center, Collinsville. The educational program has a track for sports turf, golf, landscape, arborist, plantscape, parks and recreation as well as green industry. Those who work in lawn care, landscaping, nursery, a garden center, golf course or any other grounds-related industry, can get new ideas and research-based information at the conference. Registration for the two days is $100 or $80 for one day if completed by Jan. 3. The fee includes lunch. Registration fees increase after Jan. 3. There is also a trade show featuring many local businesses that is free to the public.

To obtain a copy of the Gateway Green Industry Conference brochure and registration form, contact U of I Extension office at 618-344-4230 or web.extension.illinois.edu/mms. Online registration is available. 

Pest workshop to be held

University of Illinois Extension’s Madison-Monroe-St. Clair Unit will be offering the Illinois First Detector Invasive Pest Workshop on Thursday, Jan. 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Collinsville Branch office located at 1 Regency Plaza Drive, Suite 200, Collinsville.

This workshop will include sessions devoted to emerging and current oak threats in Illinois. A session will be included on invasive plants introduced as ornamentals, such as burning bush, Bradford pear, and Japanese barberry, along with a discussion on non-invasive alternatives. In-depth training sessions will highlight identification, symptoms, management, and much more. New this year will be a session devoted to how safeguarding and regulation plays a role. 

Cost for the program is $40, which includes on-site lunch and training materials. To register send $40 payable to University of Illinois Extension to 1 Regency Plaza Drive, Suite 200, Collinsville, IL 62234. Online registration or a conference flyer is available at www.extension.illinois.edu/mms. Registration deadline is Jan. 13.

Call Sarah Ruth at 618-344-4230.

Bike Expo in late January

The 2014 Midwest Bicycle Expo and Swap Meet will be 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26, at the Gateway Center, 1 Gateway Drive, Collinsville. Admission is $5; free for children under 10. The exp includes vendors, a bike corral (an area for guests to place their items for sale), and a classic bike show ($5 per entry). Pre-register at trailnet.org to be allowed in a half-hour early at no extra cost. Attendance prizes will be drawn; for every two tires or four tubes brought in for recycling, an extra entry is added for a special drawing. 

This year’s event includes a kids’ corner with a bounce house, an area for test rides, shuttles from the nearby MetroLink station, mini-clinics and fashion shows.

Extension holds seminar

Soil, water and air interactions will be the focus of a Soil and Water Management Seminar sponsored by University of Illinois Extension on Feb. 26. The workshop will be held at the Madison-Monroe-St. Clair Unit Offices in Waterloo and Collinsville. Presentations will be delivered via PowerPoint and web conferencing from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Registration is $50 per person, which includes lunch. The registration deadline is Feb. 21. To register, call the Waterloo Office at 618-939-3434 or the Collinsville Office at 618-344-4230. You may also send your name, address, and payment to University of Illinois Extension, 901 Illinois Ave, P.O. Box 117, Waterloo, IL 62298 or University of Illinois Extension, 1 Regency Plaza, Suite 200, Collinsville, IL 62234.

Volunteers needed to help with taxes

It may not be tax season yet, but the time to sign up to volunteer to help with tax assistance is now. United Way of Greater St. Louis’ tax coalition partners want to pair volunteers with low-income and elderly residents for tax assistance from late January through April 15 at various locations in the region.

Trainings take place during January 2014 at various times and locations in Madison and St. Clair counties. Volunteers must attend one or more certification trainings in order to greet, interview or prepare taxes. Previous tax assistance experience is not required. Registration in advance is required; contact the Gateway EITC Community Coalition at 314-539-4062 or info@gatewayeitc.org; Friendly Community Tax Coalition at 314-691-9500 or visit stlvolunteer.org/VITA. There are various volunteer positions available, with varying degrees of tax knowledge necessary. 

The purpose of the coalitions is to offer free Earned Income Tax Credit preparation and education to low-income residents.

County offers help for energy bills

Madison County has obtained funding through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Development to assist low-income county residents with the cost of home energy bills. Applications will be taken through May 31, 2014, or until funds are depleted.

The Madison County Community Development Energy Assistance Office administers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and can help residents with the application process.

Call 618-296-6485 to get information about local offices where applications can be filled out.

Shopping for a Christmas present for a creative person takes a little bit of creativity on your part. And that’s why the following gift ideas can help, as they take all the stress out of trying to figure out what your creative person would like to receive this year. And since many of the items were just were announced on Dec. 11 during a winter sale, you don’t have to worry about them selling out too fast.

Got a landscape design lover in your home? Check out the latest garden and landscape design book set and video gift package ideas from Mary Palmer Dargan at the PoppyShop.

The Holiday Book Bundle is a steal at only $75, and if you are looking for some excellent virtual blueprint videos and workbooks to help you navigate designing your own home landscape, you’ve no need to look further. Mary Palmer Dargan has you covered! And she’s offering one extra month of personalized service for free, so hurry, as this offer ends in one week.

This creative design professional even gets into the Christmas spirit with her video promos for her products. And she is just as fun in person, if you get the chance to take one of her workshops.

Check out the holiday bundle promo above and then visit the virtual Poppy Shop for your creative shopping needs. And if you don’t have the money now, zip over to the Publishers Clearing House Lotto Twilight site, so you can try to win one of the $10,000 prizes they are giving away this week. They just awarded a school employee in Alabama a $25,000 prize, so you could be next!

Here we go again, another year has flown by and all you have to show for yourself are some unfulfilled, discarded resolutions you vowed to keep. They were lofty pipe dreams anyway, right? Your resolution to be on “Hell’s Kitchen” froze over. To top the cake, your perfect culinary masterpiece has yet to be constructed. Either way, it was worth the try.

Instead of fixating on past failures, can the negative attitude and shift your thoughts to something more sunny-side up. Sure, you won’t become a top chef with a culinary master vision in just one year, but you can refocus and commit to a few New Year’s vows you can actually keep.

So, throw away that moldy old mentally and try some of these ideas to devise some New Year’s resolutions that are practical and healthy for the upcoming year.

Photo by Distant Hill Gardens

Starting a garden is a great new way to bond with your family.

1. Grow Your Own Ingredients

The Resolution

Start dedicate yourself to healthy eating by growing your own fruits and vegetables. Not only will you save money on your monthly grocery bill, but you will also improve your family’s quality of life. Your lush greens and plump ripe tomatoes will taste better than shipped or preserved supermarket produce, and be fully loaded with vitamins.  Additionally, you will be cutting back on food waste to help support a more eco-friendly environment sans pesticides. Not to mention, creating a home garden can really add a rustic feel to your landscaping.

Mastery

First, determine where you would like to grow your food, making sure to search for good sunshine. Once you found an ideal place to grow, tend to your soil by incorporating organic materials to aid in harvesting. This step is crucial to maintaining a healthy and thriving garden. Finally, plant your seeds and periodically check on your plants and water when necessary.

How to Stick To It

There is no need to invest in expensive plants and a used backhoe; plant a little at a time. Don’t become overwhelmed by trying to include all types of fruits and vegetables. Choose your most commonly used food and plant that for starters. That way, you’ll be more likely to use them in everyday cooking.

2. Regularly Learn New Recipes

Photo by The Bitten Word on Flickr

Bookmark recipes in the magazines and books you read, and incorporate them into your stand-bys.

The Resolution

Incorporate a few new recipes a month to have some easy, go-to meals on hand. In doing so, you’ll be able to make time for cooking even on your busiest of evenings. Being conscious of what you are cooking will not only save you time, but it will also make you more aware of what you are consuming, which, in turn, will help you make healthier choices.

Mastery

Begin with including fruits and vegetables as a staple in every meal for a healthy, colorful plate. Then, build around your various sides to compliment with meat choices. To benefit your mind and body, turn to lean proteins like fish, chicken and turkey. These leaner choices will be kind to your heart and brain, while providing the protein and fat your body needs.

How to Stick To It

Slowly incorporate these recipes into your meal plans, trying to use them at least twice a week. For example, have panko crusted tilapia with green beans one night and salmon and broccoli another night. If you’re struggling with variety, try a few meatless dishes.

Photo by Jennifer from Sweet on Veg

Learn to love whole grains, especially in your breakfast.

3. Add Whole Grains

The Resolution

Often times our resolutions tend toward carb-free diets. However, the simple inclusion of whole grains into your diet can actually give you the nutrients your body needs. As a result, you will feel more satisfied and full by making the right starch decision.

Mastery

For a simple integration, always ensure that whole grain or whole wheat is the main ingredient. If it isn’t the first ingredient listed, look for healthier alternatives at your local health food grocers and markets.

How to Stick To It

You don’t have to bring a military attitude to this goal, but try to include whole grains in at least one meal a day. Maybe it’s whole grain bread for breakfast or quinoa in your yogurt at lunch. Whatever your choice, think of some creative options to spice up your daily grain intake.

Photo by Theen Moy

Put your cookbook collection to use! Don’t have one? Start a recipe binder instead. You can borrow all kinds of cookbooks from your local library, and copy out your favorite recipes.

4. Cook Using Recipes and Cookbooks

The Resolution

Actually use your cookbooks instead of letting them collect dust on your counter. By spending time reading these books, you can improve your cooking skills and vary your recipes to avoid bored and impulsive eating.

Mastery

Grab a stack of your books and take the time to sift through the recipes outside of the kitchen. Flag your favorites with some sticky notes and make a grocery list. Once you purchase your ingredients it will be harder to back out of making these dishes and it will help you commit to some new finds.

How to Stick To It

Take at least ten minutes a day to read your cookbook outside of the kitchen. The more time you devote to using your cookbooks, the more refined your cooking skills you will become. If you’re at a loss, try Eat Your Books to help you organize and search for new recipes.

Photo by The Bitten Word on Flickr

Preserves are a great way to save money and ensure that you don’t waste any of your hard work gardening.

5. Preserve Your Food

The Resolution

Take time to preserve food, because it will help you keep a supply of different ingredients and save on refrigeration. Plus, you can include healthy food items and avoid using any unwanted additives.

Mastery

Determine what kinds of foods you wish to preserve and make sure they are ripe and ready to be canned. Always sanitize your lids and jars to avoid bacteria. Also, when you seal your lids, double-check that there are no air bubbles. These steps are crucial to preserving food safely. Check out these great steps to canning food.

How to Stick To It                                                                                 

Choose a few different foods to can and start out small. Begin by organizing your pantry for shelf space and labeling your jars. This way, you’ll have a system to stay motivated.

Like any new resolution, it takes dedication and willpower to fully commit and carry out these new goals. However, with a positive attitude and good organization, you’ll be on your way to culinary mastery.

December 31, 2013

Rogers County Home, Garden Show set for March 21-23

Mark Friedel

Staff Reporter
The Claremore Daily Progress

Tue Dec 31, 2013, 05:18 AM CST

CLAREMORE —

Text Only

Copyright
2013
Claremore Daily Progress. All rights
reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast,
rewritten or redistributed.

Morton Grove will reportedly not replicate Park Ridge’s newly-enacted regulation on scrap-metal scavengers.

Members of Morton Grove’s finance committee had a lengthy discussion on the topic in July after reading news articles about Park Ridge aldermen showing interest. However, now that Park Ridge sorted through the details and passed an ordinance, Morton Grove’s finance chair says the topic is dead.

“I still think it’s a good idea,” said Doug Steinman, chair of the finance committee. “I do my best to generate ideas to discuss and maybe pass along to our trustees, but I always leave it up to the group and I don’t feel like this one got enough support.”

Phillip Gera, another member of the committee, and Steinman introduced the idea for safety and revenue purposes, suggesting a $10 to $50 registration fee per scavenger so police are aware of who is on the road and how to find them if thefts were reported.

Park Ridge did just that on Dec. 2, requiring scavengers to register with the city, undergo criminal background checks and pay a $50 annual fee in order to collect items left for disposal on residential or commercial parkways and alleys.

Applicants convicted of felony or misdemeanor theft within the last five years will not be given a license, according to the ordinance.

The ordinance defines a “scavenger/junk hauler” as someone who removes and collects trash, metal, bricks, furniture, bottles or other items through the use of a motorized vehicle.

Any unlicensed scavengers will be subjected to a city fine.

One prime example of the crime Park Ridge hopes to prevent came just days after the ordinance was finalized, when police caught a scavenger stealing three manhole covers from the city’s materials storage yard at Elm Street and Greenwood Avenue.

Similar events occur in Morton Grove, as a scavenger was arrested on Dec. 15 for taking a grill from the backyard of a house in 6100 block of Crain Street. However, the police department declined to comment on hypothetical ordinances.

The original discussion by Morton Grove’s finance committee was broad. The group also discussed requiring snowplows and landscaping companies to register with the village. Some members worried about “big brother” perceptions.

The committee agreed to wait and see what happens in Park Ridge, but Steinman said the topic is dead.

Pioneer Press Staff Reporter Jennifer Johnson contributed to this story.