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Building new opportunities for youth

More than 20 percent of the U.S. work force is employed in some phase of agriculture. Seven people work in agribusiness for every American farmer. Today's agriculture is based on new technology and that has increased the need for agricultural education. Currently, more than 17,000 students are studying agriculture in 302 Illinois high schools, a 46 percent increase in the past eight years. Illinois FFA membership currently exceeds 15,000.

Beginning in 1928, the FFA organization has been known as a builder of opportunities for youth. It has made a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

Since the early 1970s, when the Illinois Association FFA was moved out of the Illinois State Board of Education, the FFA, Illinois Association Vocational Agriculture Teachers (IAVAT), Illinois Foundation FFA, and Illinois FFA Alumni have been housed in rented facilities in Roanoke. In November, 1997, the building was sold. Temporary space was found at the old Roanoke Farmers Association Elevator office building. For the long term a committee recommended a new building be built in Springfield to house the Illinois FFA Center.

Purchase of a 40,000-square-foot lot was finalized on February 18,1999. The lot is located off Exit 100B of Interstate 55, near the intersection of Sangamon Avenue and Dirksen Parkway, Springfield. Building plans are for a single-level, low-maintenance facility.

Individuals and businesses with an interest in FFA members and agriculture education are being asked to help fund the project. If you or your organization would like to make a donation or find out more about the project contact: Frank M. Dry, associate executive secretary, Building Opportunities, P.O. Box 50, Roanoke, IL 61561, (309) 923-7413.

Editor's note: Like a lot of young people in high school I didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up. Besides my journalism teacher, I have to give a lot of credit to my FFA instructor, Mr. Gene DeWitt, for not only teaching me a lot, but giving my life direction. Today's kids need direction and FFA is one of the programs that provides guidance. John Lowrey, editor.

Electric utility restructuring update

As the 1999 congressional year wound down in late November, federal action on electric utility industry restructuring moved forward in the House of Representatives and will likely be addressed again sometime during Spring 2000.

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association's Legislative Representative Montee Wynn noted that, "Although the bill needs improvement, we were able to escape some harmful amendments." Wynn was referring specifically to a potential amendment that would have limited cooperatives' ability to offer a diversity of services to consumers.

Don't forget to fill out the 2000 Census

Beginning in March, each household will receive a Census 2000 Questionnaire. It is critical to the future of rural areas and small towns that citizens take just 10 minutes to fill out the form and mail it back.

Your community could lose out on some funding programs without an accurate census. For example, Bill Shoaff, mayor of Shelbyville and a Shelby Electric Cooperative employee, says that in the 1990 Census Shelbyville was short by just 35 residents of the 5,000 mark. That would have made the town eligible for funding for city services like police protection and road repairs.

The short form asks for answers to seven basic questions including name, age, sex and race of the persons in the household. The long form asks a total of 52 questions about the residents' demographic characteristics, the housing they live in, how they go to and from work, the languages they speak at home and other information that helps define the patterns of community life. It is important in painting a statistical picture of the trends that affect our nation.

Again, the information collected is very important to your community and to the state. It will provide local area data needed for communities to receive federal program funds and for private sector and community planning in the future.

The Census Bureau also needs help to conduct Census 2000. A large number of part-time positions are available in your neighborhood. For information on census jobs, phone toll-free (888) 325-7733.

6 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING MARCH 2000


Members more interested in new services from co-ops— not deregulation


Shelby Electric Cooperative employees Chris Spears, key accounts representative (left) and Maria Berner, customer service representative DirecTV, worked with John Lowrey, editor of Illinois Country Living and employees from the 18 other Illinois Touchstone Energy cooperatives, to explain the benefits of the electric cooperative network and their new services with nearly 1,000 co-op members during the Capital City Farm Show.

Employees from Illinois Touchstone Energy® cooperatives had a chance to visit with nearly a thousand electric co-op members during the 2000 Capital City Farm Show, held in Springfield, January 14 — 16. The Touchstone Energy co-ops sponsored the "Farm Home" section of the show. The employees talked to members about electric utility deregulation and demonstrated many of the new services and technologies co-ops are providing to rural consumers.

"Most of the members were more interested in the new technologies like geothermal heat pumps, fuel cells, Internet service and satellite TV" said John Lowrey, regional coordinator for the Illinois Touchstone Energy co-ops. "I talked to one member for 10 minutes about fuel cells. With a fuel cell and propane or natural gas you can have your own power plant.

"But most of the people I talked with seemed skeptical about the benefits of deregulation," Lowrey said. "We explained that electric cooperatives and municipal utilities will be making local decisions on deregulation and we handed out brochures explaining deregulation in more detail. The bottom line is deregulation is going to be a critical and challenging decision for members and their electric cooperatives. Members need to understand this complicated but important change and let their member-elected directors know what they think."

There are 19 Touchstone Energy cooperatives in Illinois including: The Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives, Springfield; Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative, Mattoon; Corn Belt Energy Corp., Bloomington; Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative, Paxton; Egyptian Electric Cooperative Association, Steeleville; EnerStar Power Corp., Paris; Illinois Rural Electric Cooperative, Winchester; Jo-Carroll Electric Cooperative, Elizabeth; McDonough Power Cooperative, Macomb; Menard Electric Cooperative, Petersburg; Monroe County Electric Co-Operative, Inc., Waterloo; Norris Electric Cooperative, Newton; Rural Electric Convenience Cooperative, Co., Auburn; Shelby Electric Cooperative, Shelbyville; SouthEastern Illinois Electric Cooperative, Inc., Eldorado; Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative, Dongola; Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Mt. Vernon; Southern Illinois Power Cooperative, Inc. Marion and Soyland Power Cooperative, Decatur.

Mighty microbes could eat nuclear waste

Some death-defying bacteria can grow rather well in what could be described as battery acid, while others grow in water so hot that it would boil over if it were not for the pressure at the bottom of the ocean. But a bacteria that can survive lethal radiation levels may provide a solution to the nation's nuclear waste problem. Deinococcus radiodurans can repair major damage to its own DNA. It is also resistant to complete dehydration and its radiation survival skills may be incidental.

Scientists, who call it "Conan the bacterium," are trying to genetically engineer it to develop an appetite for nuclear waste.

"Deinococcus offers tremendous promise because of its ability to withstand a tremendous amount of radiation," said Ari Patrinos, director of the Department of Energy's Biological Environmental Research Program.

With its DNA repairing ability, the bacterium could also help scientists understand the aging process and treat cancer in the future.

MARCH 2000 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 7


Progressive electric co-op in the news

Shelby Electric Cooperative, Shelbyville, and its employees have been racking up a lot of recognition recently. Jim Coleman, president and CEO, received the Local Cooperative Management Award from the Illinois Electric Council. Bill Shoaff, construction superintendent, was featured in Rural Electrification Magazine, for his commitment to his community as mayor of Shelbyville. The co-op as a whole was honored as an example of aggressively diversifying utilities in The Source - Building Industry News and Views.

Coleman's management of Shelby Electric over the past 10 years has led the co-op in new directions such as propane sales; DIRECTV® and C-band satellite service; plus mobile radio, cellular and paging services. Shelby Electric is not alone in its aggressive diversification. Most Illinois electric cooperatives are also adding new services.

Shoaff, a 33-year veteran of Shelby Electric, was featured in Rural Electrification Magazine because he's a perfect example of how many electric cooperative employees are not only fiercely loyal to their co-ops but also to their communities. One of the principles all co-ops operate by is concern for community. Shelby Electric has taken that principle one step farther. As a Touchstone Energy cooperative, it has joined a national network of 570 electric cooperatives that have pledged to operate by these standards: integrity, accountability, innovation and commitment to community.

Coleman says the things that make Shoaff a great employee are also the traits that serve him well as mayor. "He's dedicated to his job—whether it's here or his job uptown. You either have it in you to be of service to people or you don't." To fit it all in Shoaff starts his day at 6 a.m. mapping out line crew schedules. Lunch is often on the run, a trip downtown to city hall or to check on a new city project. Shoaf realizes in either job you can't always make people happy, "But it's a heck of a good challenge," he says.

Water-treatment — buyer beware

The water-treatment field, like other consumer areas, attracts its share of questionable claims. For instance, some people sell non-chemical treatment devices that use magnetic fields, electrostatic fields or other physical forces to treat water.

Sellers claim that the equipment will eliminate corrosion, scale, bacteria, algae and other problems. However, independent studies have found most of these devices to be ineffective and without scientific basis.

When confronted with a suspicious device, consult the local offices of the Illinois Department of Public Health or Cooperative Extension Service.

If you find that your drinking water supply contains unacceptable levels of some compounds, take corrective action, if possible, to stop further contamination before considering a treatment device. When you are ready to consider treatment, you can find local sales representatives for treatment devices in the Yellow Pages of the phone book.

Water treatment can be costly, so find out about costs and frequency of service and maintenance, as well as the cost per gallon to treat water. A trade association, such as the Water Quality Association, may be able to recommend companies that sell treatment equipment. You can reach the Water Quality Association at 4151 Naperville Rd., Lisle, IL 60532. The phone number is (708) 505-0160.

Are your children safe?

You know the basics of electric safety. You safeguard your children from shock. But do others who care for your children know that information, too? Before you leave your child with grandparents, babysitters, daycare providers or others, make sure they know how to protect your little ones from shock. Prepare a tip sheet, or get materials from your cooperative or the National Electrical Safety Foundation to educate everyone who takes care of your children about electrical safety.

8 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING MARCH 2000


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