Three Illinois Physicians Considered For National Country Doctor Award

Dr. Rachel Rahman of Nauvoo keeps a local hospital's obstetrics (OB) department open. Dr. Russell Dohner of Rushville still charges only $5 for house calls. And Dr. Donald Chaney of Highland treats people regardless of their ability to pay. These physicians are three of 14 that have been nominated for further consideration out of a total of 166 nominations nationwide for the Country Doctor of the Year Award.

Sponsored by Staff Care, a temporary physician firm located in Irving, Texas, the Country Doctor of the Year Award honors rural physicians who demonstrate extraordinary dedication to patients, community, and profession.

Dr. Rahman serves as the only physician in Nauvoo, a river town of 1,000. Recently she volunteered to provide day and night coverage for a hospital in Carthage, as well as preventing the OB department from closing.

Dr. Dohner has served the people of Rushville for 50 years. He continues to make house calls at 79 years of age.

The people of Highland know Dr. Chaney will always step in during a crisis. He once remained on call for three months without a break.

"We read every year about the crisis in rural healthcare," says Joe Caldwell, Executive Vice President of Staff Care. "But these extraordinary physicians respond to the challenge through innovation and pure dedication."

Illinois Funds New "Green" School

Students returning to school at the new Cuba, Ill., Middle-Senior High School found themselves surrounded not only by green acres of nearby corn but also by a "green building" that is a new model for energy cost savings and sustainability practices in Illinois. The school received $625,000 in funding from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity's Bureau of Energy and Recycling.

"Illinois can be very proud of this model school," said Governor Blagojevich. "This green school uses natural daylighting, which studies have shown increases children's test scores, as well as other energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies."

In construction of this Illinois "green school," every effort was made to incorporate as many elements of energy efficiency and renewable energy as possible, resulting in lower operating costs, increased safety and environmental health conditions, improved learning conditions, and an example of environmental responsibility and sustainable behavior for students and the surrounding communities.

Projects include a geothermal heating and cooling system, a 60-kilowatt photovoltaic array to convert sunlight to energy, and classroom day lighting, which provides natural light throughout the school and is shown to improve student performance.

Additional highlights of the school's design are use of special energy-efficiency lighting, such as zoned lighting and motion sensors in classrooms and hallways to reduce unnecessary demand for electricity, 100 percent recycled/recyclable carpeting, crumb rubber athletic fields, and gymnasium bleacher seating created from recycled materials. These energy-efficient building techniques will save the school 35 to 40 percent of its energy costs per year.

Fall Into a Safety Habit This Year

With daylight savings coming this fall, you should remember to change something other than your clock. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends that you change the batteries in your smoke detector. According to NFPA, smoke detectors have reduced the number of home fire deaths by half since they were installed in homes during the 1970s. Ninety-five percent of the homes have at least one smoke detector. Unfortunately, a third of those smoke alarms won't sound due to dead, missing, or disconnected batteries according to NFPA.

While changing your batteries this fall, keep these other smoke alarm tips from NFPA in mind:

• Don't paint the smoke alarm or place decoration near it, which might cause it not to work properly.

• Test smoke alarms monthly by using the alarms' "test button."

• Replace the batteries for your smoke alarms every fall or when the alarm "chirps."

• Regularly clean your smoke alarm to keep it in proper working order.

• Your smoke alarms should be replaced once every 10 years.

• Never "borrow" a battery from a smoke alarm.

Source: NFPA

6 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING www.icl.coop

Annual Energy Outlook 2004

For almost four years, natural gas prices have remained at levels substantially higher than those of the 1990s. This has led to a re-evaluation of expectations about future trends in natural gas markets, the economics of exploration and production, and the size of the natural gas resource. The Annual Energy Outlook 2004 forecast reflects such revised expectations, projecting greater dependence on more-costly alternative supplies of natural gas.

Although only a few years ago natural gas was viewed as the fuel of choice for new generating plants, coal is now projected to play a more important role. Little new generating capacity is expected to be added before 2010. With a higher long-term forecast for natural gas prices, the competitive position of coal is expected to improve. More additions of coal and renewable generating capacity are projected.

Average real electricity prices are projected to increase, too.

Delivered residential energy consumption is projected to grow at an average rate of 1.0 percent per year between 2002 and 2025.

Total electricity consumption is projected to increase at an average rate of 1.8 percent per year. Rapid growth in electricity use for computers, office equipment, and a variety of electrical appliances in the residential and commercial sectors is partially offset in the energy forecast by improved efficiency. Source: Energy Information Agency, www.eia.doe.gov

New Book Delves Into Wildlife Habitat

For anyone interested in Illinois wildlife and their habitats, there's a new "must-have" book published by the University of Illinois and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources titled "Creating Habitats and Homes for Illinois Wildlife."

With more than 200 color photographs, the book is worth having for the exquisite depiction of Illinois wildlife. The book is also chock full of accessible scientific information about the status of wildlife habitat in Illinois.

"The key to making successful wildlife management decisions is to use the best scientific information available. This book compiles, in a user-friendly way, what is known about major habitat issues in our state today," said primary author of the book Debbie Scott Newman, Preservation Specialist for the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission.

"We cannot overestimate the importance of natural areas and wildlife on the quality of life," said coauthor Richard Warner, U of I Professor of Wildlife Ecology. "But the Illinois economy realizes more than $1 billion every year from expenditures related to watching wildlife. More than $550 million is spent each year on recreational fishing. And hunters spend nearly $150 million a year pursuing game."

Since most land in Illinois is held by private citizens, it's imperative that individual landowners are knowledgeable about wildlife habitat.

"This book goes farther than any other book available in describing what individual people can do on their own property to create wildlife habitat," said another co-author Phil Mankin, U of I wildlife ecologist. "There are chapters on grassland, woodland, aquatic, and wetland habitats. But also a chapter focusing on specific things people can do in their own backyards or small tracts of land."

The individual cost of "Creating Habitats and Homes for Illinois Wildlife" is $25, plus a shipping and handling fee. You can purchase the book by contacting: Illinois Conservation Foundation, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702, or call toll free in Illinois (800) 720-3249, outside Illinois (217) 782-1687.

NOVEMBER 2004 ww.aiec.coop 7

With a properly sized heating system and properly balanced and installed duct system, room temperatures should be consistent.

Heating System Replacement the Right Way

Most of us want to spend the minimum amount of money when servicing or replacing our heating systems. But a low-cost service call may not include some important safety and efficiency improvements.

Your heating contractor should agree to include the following best practices as part of your heating-system replacement or major service call. You may need to pay a little more in return.

If you replace your furnace, it should be sized correctly to match your home's heating load. This sizing should account for any energy improvements you've made to the building shell. Your new furnace may be smaller than your old one.

Your contractor should test the furnace's airflow, and install additional return ducts or supply ducts if needed to improve air distribution.

The main supply and return ducts should be fastened to the furnace with screws on all sides. The main ducts should be sealed to the furnace with duct mastic. Duct tape is a temporary solution, and should not be used for sealing most ducts.

Any holes in the furnace itself should be sealed with mastic or high-quality metal tape. Joints between the main ducts and branch ducts should be sealed with mastic.

The filters should completely fill the opening where they're installed. They should be held firmly in place with brackets, retainer springs, or other means. Any filter slot near the furnace should have a sealed cover to prevent air leakage.

Any existing chimney problems should be solved during replacement. This may include re-sizing or re-lining the chimney to match the size of new heating systems.

The airflow to the home's supply registers should be balanced using balancing dampers in the ducts. These should be located near the main duct. Source: John Krigger, Saturn Resource Management, www.residential-energy.com.

U.S. Coal Prices Going Up, Too

With coal supplies at U.S. power plants at their lowest levels in more than three years, some energy industry analysts and experts believe coal prices are starting to chase after higher oil and natural gas prices.

National Mining Association experts were quoted as saying that coal-fired American plants have probably 40-45 days supply compared with 60-90 days— the norm in the 1990s—with some generators' stockpiles reduced by 50 percent.

Several factors contribute to the decline in inventories, including cost-cutting strategies designed not to tie up so much money for so long, recent rail problems that have disrupted coal deliveries in the east, high oil and natural gas prices causing utilities to opt for coal, and high coal prices.

The issue is significant because 95 percent of U.S.-produced coal is used in U.S. power plants—just more than 1 billion tons last year. At the same time, coal comprises more than half of total U.S. generation.

Average spot prices for coal are about $58 per ton, more than twice the price last August. A decade ago, power companies typically had long-term contracts for coal of up to 10 years. More recently there has been a shift toward shorter-term contracts.

Source: National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corp.

Illinois Better Prepared for Animal Health Emergencies

Two staff veterinarians with the Illinois Department of Agriculture have furthered their professional development, improving both the department's ability to detect animal illnesses and its preparedness for an agroterrorism attack.

Dr. Gene Niles, Bureau Chief of the Centralia Animal Disease Laboratory, has become a certified veterinary toxicologist. He is one of only 119 veterinarians throughout the country to achieve certification from the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology.

Dr. Anna Ruman, Assistant Bureau Chief of Meat and Poultry Inspection, was trained in May as a foreign animal disease diagnostician.

"Whether an animal disease is introduced accidentally or deliberately, the effectiveness of our response depends upon an accurate diagnosis," Dr. Colleen O'Keefe, Division Manager of Food Safety and Animal Protection, said. "The specialized training that Drs. Niles and Ruman received enhances our ability to rapidly detect rare diseases, some of which have never been confirmed in the United States before, and better prepares us for an animal health emergency."

"Illinois is a key state with regard to the nation's food supply, and protecting that food supply is one of the many challenges facing Homeland Security," Mike Chamness, Chairman of the Illinois Terrorism Task Force, added. "Having well-trained experts in areas like agroterrorism makes our state better prepared to deal with those challenges."

"Illinois agriculture increasingly relies upon export sales for income. But, as trade barriers are removed and new markets are developed, we become more susceptible to foreign animal diseases," said Agriculture Director.