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Eagle exhibit on display at library

[APRIL 16, 2002]  The Illinois Audubon Society’s traveling exhibit on eagles is now on display at the Lincoln Public Library, 725 Pekin St. The display is in the Annex and can be seen during library hours, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

North America’s bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States, is at last making a comeback after its precipitous decline in the mid-1900s. In the 1800s, bald eagles were widespread throughout Illinois, building nests and raising their young. But by the mid 1900s they were on the endangered species list.

[Photos by Joan Crabb]

Today these magnificent birds, having a 6- to 7-foot wingspan, standing 3 feet long from head to tail, and weighing 8 to 10 pounds, can once again be seen in Illinois.

Because of the widespread use of DDT and other pesticides, eagles and some other raptors (birds that kill and eat other animals) became endangered in the lower 48 states. The chemicals washed into rivers and streams and became concentrated in fish, the eagle’s favorite food. The eagles ate the contaminated fish and began laying eggs with shells so thin they would break before they could hatch. Some birds were also illegally shot and poisoned.

Since the ban on DDT, these birds have begun to increase in numbers and can now be seen in Illinois, especially in winter, along the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. Along the Illinois River, they can be seen at Starved Rock State Park, Rice Lake and Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge. The birds especially like areas below dams that provide open water where they can catch fish. Many of the eagles that winter in Illinois will migrate to the upper Midwest and Canada for nesting in the spring, but several pairs are nesting in Illinois once more.

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Bald eagles can live for 30 years in the wild and often mate for life. They like to return year after year to the same nesting site, a platform of sticks and branches high above ground, usually near water. Both parents feed and care for the young.

These birds do not mature and acquire their adult plumage, the distinctive white head and tail and huge yellow beak, until they are about 4 years old. Until that time, young bald eagles are brownish-black, although they are as big as adult birds.

The golden eagle, the other species found in the lower 48 states, is brown with a golden wash over the back of the head and neck. This bird is rare in the East but is fairly common in the West, where it lives in mountainous areas and hunts for small mammals, snakes, birds and carrion.

[Leslie Starasta reads about bald eagles at the Lincoln Public Library display.]

The Illinois Audubon Society, founded in 1897, is one of the oldest conservation groups in the Midwest. It focuses primarily on state and local issues, working to preserve habitat, promote good conservation practices, and foster an appreciation of wildlife through its education program. It is not affiliated with the National Audubon Society. The traveling exhibits are funded, in part, by a grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Division, which is also supported by the Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund.

The Illinois society is a non-profit organization, and contributions are tax deductible. Information can be obtained from its headquarters at Illinois Audubon Society, P.O. Box 2418, Danville, IL 61834-2418, or on the website, www.illinoisaudubon.org.

[Joan Crabb]

‘Treemendous Tree’ Contest

[APRIL 9, 2002]  The Logan County Master Gardeners are springing forward with several activities to promote horticulture in the county. Mark your calendars for April 27, when they will have a plant sale, planned to become an annual event. Perennials and houseplants will be available for purchase at the Extension office located at 980 Postville Drive.

The group will celebrate Arbor Day by sponsoring several activities April 30 through the first of May. Kickoff of the Arbor Day activities will be on April 30. Larry Mayhan, author of "In Search of Big Trees," will be the guest speaker at the Logan County Extension building at 7 p.m. This meeting is open to the public, and you are cordially invited to attend.

The Master Gardeners are also sponsoring a "Treemendous Tree" Contest, searching out the biggest trees of Logan County. All residents and property owners of Logan County are eligible to enter. Entry forms will be available at local banks and businesses throughout the county. Entries will close May 3, with trees being measured the following week and certificates awarded. [See more information on the tree contest.]

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Don’t know where to put those plants you bought at the plant sale? The Master Gardeners will host a garden walk in Lincoln on June 8. Eight beautiful gardens in Lincoln will be featured. Highlights include gardens with water features, antique roses and the Scully estate. The gardens are truly inspiring and will give you many great ideas as well as an enjoyable day about town.

It is the goal of the Master Gardeners to encourage citizens of Logan County to develop a greater appreciation for horticulture in their community. Interested in becoming a Master Gardener? Classes will begin this fall. The group encourages all people who are interested in gardening to "grow" along with them.

If you have any questions, please direct them to John Fulton at 732-8289.

[News release]

[APRIL 24, 2002]  ^"Operating Codes" by Nick Manns. Little, Brown and Co., 2001, 182 pages.

The first day in their new home, 15-year-old Graham Hayton and his 5-year-old sister, Matty, sense a ghostly presence. The house is called Sentinel House and was part of a military base that is now closed down.

One evening Graham is awakened from a sound sleep by the sound of marching feet, and the next thing he knows, Matty is screaming and running into his room. Matty says that she saw a face at her window, and she described his dress as that of a soldier. The noise wakes up their parents who brush off the incident as nothing more than "aural mirages" and tell the children to go back to sleep.

The next day Graham goes exploring with his new friend John to the old site of the military barracks with a sign that reads, "Dangerous, Keep Out." The boys are temporarily separated, and Graham enters a hut looking for John. He is prodded with something hard and told to halt. Thinking it is John, he tells him to stop messing around. The next thing he knows he is waking up on the floor of the hut with a bump on the back of his head and a severe headache.

Graham is disturbed by this event and the fact that he and Matty continue to witness strange events such as voices, hazy visions of soldiers and words written in the fog on the windows. Mr. and Mrs. Hayton continue to brush off the children’s concerns about the house, so Graham decides to do some research on his own into the historical background of the house. What he discovers is disturbing but eventually helps them understand the strange things that are going on in the house.

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One of the subplots in the story has to do with Mr. Hayton’s occupation. He is a computer programmer and works for the government. He is writing operating codes for a top-secret stealth plane that is to be used in combat. Graham has a problem with his dad working on a project that might be used to kill people, and they have several discussions about the subject. Somehow the secret codes make it to the Internet, and Mr. Hayton is arrested for treason. He is jailed and there is a sensational trial.

Graham is determined to help his father, but it is Matty’s interviews with a clinical psychologist that are used in the trial which help make sense of and give credence to what happened at Sentinel House. The trial has a surprising but fair climax, and the family survives in spite of the adversity.

This book is recommended for readers between the ages of 10 and 15 because of the large amount of historical and technical information. The author definitely intends for the reader to think about the ethical questions of war that are as relevant today as they were a century ago. It is a guaranteed page-turner and offers much more than the average ghost story.

For more information, please visit the library at 725 Pekin St. or call (217) 732-5732.

[Linda Harmon, Lincoln Public Library]

• Lincoln Community Theatre

• Logan County Arts Association

Auditions for summer shows

[APRIL 9, 2002]  Lincoln Community Theatre is looking for local talent to sing, dance and act in its summer 2002 productions. Singing and non-singing roles are available.

If auditioning for a role in one of this summer’s musical productions, individuals should have a song prepared. An accompanist will be available. Individuals should also be prepared to learn a few basic dance steps at the audition.

Those auditioning for non-singing roles will be required to do cold readings from the script. Scripts may be viewed at the Lincoln Public Library two weeks prior to each audition. Library scripts may not be removed from the building.

All auditions will be conducted at St. John Church of Christ, 204 Seventh St. in Lincoln.

Production and audition dates are as follows:

•  "Hello, Dolly!"

Performance dates: June 14-22

Auditions:

•  Friday, April 12, 6 p.m.

•  Saturday, April 13, 10 a.m.

•  Sunday, April 14, 2 p.m., callbacks only

You will be asked to sing a song, your choice or one from "Hello, Dolly." You will also be taught a simple dance (you do not need to prepare one). The director is looking in the age range of 25 to 60, but all are welcome to audition.

•  "Dearly Departed"

Performance dates: July 12-20

Auditions:

•  Friday, May 10, 6:30 p.m.

•  Saturday, May 11, 10 a.m.

The director is looking for actors age 20 and above. There will be four to six men, six to eight women, a trio of singers and a part for one teenage girl. There are lots of parts for older mature actors. People auditioning should plan to be there for entire audition session (1½ to two hours).

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[Judy Rader, LCT publicity chairman]

Lincoln Community Theatre’s website is at www.geocities.com/lincolncommunitytheatre/index.html. Pictures from past productions are included.  The LCT mailing address is Lincoln Community Theatre, P.O. Box 374, Lincoln, IL  62656.  E-mail: lincolncommunitytheatre@yahoo.com.

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