Splendid Day for End of May Car Cruise

Lloyd DeShane organized an old fashioned, Sunday, May 31, 2020, drive through a bit of Whiteside County, IL.  He had scheduled an ideal spring day.  Cross-country vistas were blessed by azure skies, awash with white, fluffy, Cumulonimbus clouds. Beginning at 1:00 p.m., 50 vehicles departed Odell Public Library, 307 S. Madison

Special Deer Hunt at Lost Mound

Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge has announced that applications for the General Public-Special Deer Hunt, at Lost Mound Unit in Savanna, IL, are available for Illinois residents, through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (ILDNR) deer application “First Lottery.”  Applications may be made now through Thursday, April

39th Annual B-rrry Scurry 4-Mile Run February 1

Clinton Community College will host the 39th Annual B-rrry Scurry 4-Mile Run, on Saturday, February 1, 2020.  The route is flat and fast, with chip timing and instant results, and the post-race party is legendary.  Proceeds benefit CCC students through scholarships. Registration is available at www.eicc.edu/brrry or stop in to

Heritage Canyon Christmas Walk December 7

The fragrance of hot cider, decorations of cut greens, and shortened daylight hours signal that Christmas in Heritage Canyon approaches.  Join the Early American Crafters in Fulton, IL, 515 N. Fourth Street, as we replicate life in the mid-1800s.  Wood-burning stoves, oil lanterns, and first-person interpreters bring the buildings to

Upper Mississippi River Refuge Closed Area Regulations

The Fish and Wildlife Service reminds everyone about Closed Areas and No Hunting Zones on the Upper Mississippi River Refuge in Pools 12, 13, and 14.  These areas cover a small percentage of the Refuge and are subject to special regulations, relating to access and waterfowl hunting.  Upper Mississippi River

Ornament Painting at The Loft on Main

Stephanie Vavra wrote this article.   Editor’s note:  See the Letter to the Editor from Sharon Boyles. Monday, November 11, 2019, was a day that began with several inches of snowfall on the ground and temperatures that would keep it in place for days.  It was a windy morning for the

Halley’s Comet Bits Visible October 21-22

Jamie Carter wrote this article. Will you be alive in 2061?  If not, your only chance to see something of Halley’s Comet comes in both early May and late October each year.  That is when Earth moves through streams of particles which the great comet deposited in the inner solar

Visit Andresen Nature Center for Fall Fest

Andresen Nature Center, 409 N. 4th Street, celebrates Fall Festival on Saturday, October 5, and Sunday, October 6, 2019, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. both days, in Fulton, IL.  Park downtown and ride the shuttle to the Center entrance. For youngsters and adults, entertaining activities await. On Saturday at

Heritage Canyon Fall Festival October 5-6

The Early American Crafters–Heritage Canyon historical interpreters–invite the public to enter 11 buildings on Saturday, October 5, and Sunday, October 6, 2019, in Fulton, IL.  Fall Festival is held at 515 N. 4th Street from 10:00 a.m. from 4:00 p.m. both days.  Park downtown and ride the shuttle to the

September 14 WHOA Horse Show and Cookout

White Oaks Therapeutic Equestrian Center (WHOA) will host its sixth Annual Benefit Horse Show, on Saturday, September 14, 2019, at the Gold Star FS Arena in the Whiteside County Fairgrounds, 201 W. Winfield Street, Morrison, IL.  All proceeds will benefit the WHOA program.  WHOA uses equine-assisted activities to provide recreational, educational, therapeutic,

Kids Fishing Day, September 7

Local area youth, ages five to 12, are encouraged to preregister now, for Kids Fishing Day at the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.  A youth fishing clinic will be held at Frog Pond on September 7, 2019, from 9:00 a.m. to noon.  Children six and under must

Explore the National Wildlife and Fish Refuge by Golf Cart

Stewards of the Upper Mississippi River Refuge and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service are hosting “Refuge Golf Cart Tours” that travel through the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.  Tours are free and open to all ages.  Trips are the 1st and 3rd Thursday and the

Bridge Lessons Start May 16 at Resthave

Beginner’s Bridge lessons will begin Thursday, May 16, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. at Resthave Care & Rehabilitation, 408 Maple Avenue, Morrison, IL. Play will take place in the Assisted Living Dining Hall for one or two hours, depending upon demand. There is no fee. If you are interested call Mary

Birding Tour of Lost Mound May 18

Stewards of the Upper Mississippi River Refuge and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service are co-hosting a birding tour, into the closed area of Lost Mound on Saturday, May 18, 2019.  Tours are free, but seating is limited.  This is an excellent opportunity to travel through the refuge with

Spring Lake Temporarily Closure

The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge has announced that the Spring Lake Management Unit’s recreation area, located off IL Route Highway 84 south of Savanna, IL, will be temporarily closed, to accommodate a levee rehabilitation project.  Closure is scheduled to extend from Monday, March 11, through Friday,