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Features
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Controlling insects naturally
[MAY 6,
2003]
URBANA -- Although mass
plantings of red and yellow tulips in city parks are beautiful and a
few well-placed trees surrounded by mulch in a parking lot provide
shade for a car or two while breaking up the monotony of the
asphalt, they are sitting ducks for insect infestations unless they
are ruthlessly sprayed with insecticides, according to Lawrence
Hanks, a University of Illinois entomologist.
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"Controlling the insect population
without the use of insecticides is a simple concept, really. It's
something that's been looked at since the '60s," said Hanks. "The
more plant diversity, the more stable the environment will be."
Hanks began a study in 2000 with the
hypothesis that planting a variety of flowering plants would attract
natural enemies like insects to an area, keeping the insect
population in check without the use of insecticides. The test plots
have already demonstrated that the method works. His ultimate goal
is to provide landscapers with a list of flowering trees, plants and
ground covers that will make a sustainable landscape for
insecticide-free maintenance.
"What we're recommending is that
landscapers create a little plant community, a mini-wildlife refuge
with plants that support insects providing food for natural enemies
like ground beetles and crickets," said Hanks. He said that rather
than islands of greenery in a parking lot, he would like to
recommend that landscapers design more of a swath of green space --
one that perhaps links with a larger nearby natural area or field.
"They may have to give up a couple of
parking spaces to make it happen, but they can also make an economic
argument because in the tiny areas they have to replace the trees
more often due to infestation, and they have to spray more."
He explained that planting a tree with
mulch around it is a popular landscape design for parking lots and
along city sidewalks, but it is a pretty bleak ecosystem. If you
plant a shrub next to the tree, you're better off than having the
tree by itself, but Hanks would like to see even more plant
diversity to control the insect population. The alternative is
regularly spraying with insecticides.
"People want greenways in their cities.
They want flowers and birds but not the pests," said Hanks. "They
don't want grasshoppers chewing up their greenery. But they also
don't want to use insecticides. If they use insecticides, they won't
attract birds, and their own domestic pets and children may suffer
from contact."
[to top of second
column in this article]
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Hanks said that if people can accept
having a variety of insects in their greenscapes, the population of
one pest won't get out of control. "Pine needle scales are terrible
pests of ornamental plants," said Hanks. "We noticed that in
settings with diverse landscaping, you can hardly find one scale.
But in a small parking lot green space -- the kind you find next to
a fast-food restaurant -- there was a very high density of scale
infestation."
The ecological balance sustains the
populations of natural enemies.
"The next step in the study is to
identify the mechanism -- that is, what is it about the combination
of plants that works? Is it the flower or the green part of the
plant? Our study this summer will look at plots with the flowers
intact and plots with the flowers snipped off to see which is more
effective at controlling the insect population."
The overall goal is to reduce the use
of insecticide. Hanks said it might mean that some people will have
to change their mind to accept this strategy. But it would mean that
instead of an insect explosion that comes in and destroys the
landscape, there would be much lower densities in an ecological
balance that encourages other types of animal life.
"So we're saying that for the sake of
an ecologically balanced environment, without the need for weekly
spraying, accept the insects, and along with it you'll get more of
what you want, like birds and butterflies."
This
research is being conducted in collaboration with Clifford Sadof of
Purdue University and is supported by the Cooperative State
Research, Education and Extension Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture. Hanks is also affiliated with the Department of Natural
Resources and Environmental Sciences in the College of Agricultural,
Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois.
[University of Illinois press release]
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Family
rituals tie generations together
[MAY 3, 2003]
URBANA -- "A family
tradition is the thread that binds one generation to the next," said
Cheri Burcham, University of Illinois Extension family-life
educator.
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Family rituals build commitment and
loyalty between family members and contribute to time spent
together, appreciation and respect for each other, communication,
spiritual and family values, and coping skills. They make family
members feel that they belong to each other, she said.
"Traditions aren't usually written down
anywhere. Family members just know that certain things are done in
certain ways," said Burcham.
She added that such rituals have value
for all ages. "Older adults see traditions as rituals to be passed
down through the generations. The younger generation uses traditions
to learn the importance of history and the relationships within the
family. Traditions can also help children to become familiar with
family members who live far away or are no longer with them," she
said.
[to top of second column in this
article]
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Our daily routines contain rituals or
traditions, said Burcham. Examples are saying prayers together,
putting notes in lunchboxes, performing particular chores and
singing certain songs. Even words or expressions, such as "If it was
a snake, it would have bitten you" or "Give me that thingamajig,"
that your family uses regularly are family traditions.
Burcham said that two currently popular
ways of creating family tradition include developing a family
website and compiling scrapbooks for family members. Others include
recording stories on audio or videotape, making gifts of family
treasures along with the stories behind them, and keeping a journal
and sharing entries with family members, she said.
For more
information on family traditions, contact your local University of
Illinois Extension office.
[University
of Illinois news
release]
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Deployed spouses and parents
leave void in families
[APRIL
24, 2003]
URBANA -- "One of the big
challenges for reserve families is that they are spread out. They
may not be close to a base where they can find comfort from others
who are facing similar issues," said Robert Hughes, head of Human
and Community Development at the University of Illinois.
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Before he came to Illinois, Hughes
helped the Department of Defense develop Web-based resources to
teach people in the armed forces how to balance family and military
life when a family member is on active duty. With colleagues at the
University of Missouri, he created the Healthy Parenting Tool Kit,
found at
http://mfrc.calib.com/
healthyparenting/index.cfm.
Military deployment goes on almost
invisibly in peacetime. It's a fact of life that military families
learn to live with. Hughes said that almost all of the service
branches have some mechanism for encouraging the family members of
deployed reservists and keeping them in touch with each other. The
website was created partly because the Defense Department knew
reservists' families don't have the easy access to information that
families on base have.
Also, Hughes said that military
families, like other families, worry about a blotch on their record
if they seek help with problems they might be having. "It's really
critical to be able to get information in people's hands without
them having to identify themselves," he said.
The most immediate challenge of a
spouse's deployment is that the one left behind becomes totally
responsible for all of the ordinary business of handling household
chores, including parenting and child-care responsibilities, he
said. "And, all the while, you're worried because you know this
family member is in a dangerous place," said Hughes.
Hughes says the first advice spouses
left at home always hear is to take care of themselves. "But how do
you take care of yourself when suddenly you have double the
parenting work you used to have?" he said.
"Military families are very
self-reliant. They're good at taking care of themselves. They're
eager to take care of themselves. For that reason, they can be
reluctant to ask for help," he said.
Hughes said it's important for these
spouses to realize that it's not a sign of weakness to ask someone
to take care of their kids for a while. "We all need help
occasionally. No one is going to think there's something wrong with
you if you ask for it, and you'll have a chance to help somebody
else out at some point," he said.
And it's important for the deployed
spouse to know a support system is in place back home "to deal with
everything from a broken water pipe to the major sorts of
difficulties a family might have," he said.
[to top of second column in this
article]
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"It may seem like an odd thing for the
military to pay attention to, but I think most commanders will tell
you that it's absolutely critical that their soldiers are not
distracted by difficulties at home so they can pay attention to
carrying out their mission," he said.
It's easy for spouses at home to be
distracted from their "mission" as well. Although modern technology
keeps families in touch via e-mail and even videoconferencing, it
also brings combat into the home in a way that can be upsetting,
especially to small children. "Almost all military families will
tell you that they try to control how much TV they're watching.
There's so much information, and families will listen anxiously to
every morsel of news, wondering, Is this my son or daughter's
unit?" he said.
Oddly enough, the most difficult part
of deployment may come after the family is reunited, said Hughes.
"Military people who have done this more than once will tell you
that it's always harder to come back than it was to leave. Spouses
and children will have changed, they've learned new things, someone
may have taken over a chore that you always did. It's just this
awkward feeling that your place in the family isn't quite there, and
it can be a challenge to fit back in," he said.
"And the one who's returning will have
changed. When military people have been in very dangerous, stressful
environments, it takes time to readjust. Couples have to find a way
to reorganize the family and incorporate everybody back into it," he
said.
Hughes cautions that military parents
who spend a lot of time on deployment may withdraw from being active
parents. He worries that they may not use the opportunity to parent
when they are around or use the telephone, letters or e-mail to keep
in touch and continue to have relationships with their children, he
said.
"None of
this is easy. It's a long learning process for these families. But a
very large percentage of these soldiers are very young men and
women, as young as 18 years old. There are lots of things they
haven't figured out yet about themselves, and now they've taken on
this very complicated, very dangerous job, and they're managing
their families all at the same time. You have to be impressed by how
well many of them do it and how capably they manage things that
would challenge any of us," Hughes said.
[University
of Illinois news
release]
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Animals for Adoption |
Animal Control
open Saturdays
[APRIL
18, 2003]
Beginning
April 28, Logan County Animal Control is experimenting for 60 days
with Saturday hours. The new hours are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on
weekdays and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. Only registration, payment of
fines and animal pickup can be accomplished on Saturday. Adoptions
must take place during the week.
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At Logan County Animal Control |
DOGS
Big to little, most of these dogs will make wonderful
lifelong companions when you take them home and provide solid,
steady training, grooming and general care. Get educated about what
you choose. If you give them the time and care they need, you will
be rewarded with much more than you gave them. They are
entertaining, fun, comforting, and will lift you up for days on end.
Be prepared to take the necessary time when you bring home a
puppy, kitten, dog, cat or any other pet, and you will be blessed.
[Logan County Animal Control is thankful for pet supplies donated by
individuals and Wal-Mart.]
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[Hi! I'm Mike! I'm a 2- to 3-year-old male looking
for a family. My favorite activities include watching my
breath and licking your face.] |
[This is Jeff. Jeff is a 1- to 2-year-old mixed breed
looking for a good home.] |
[Just look at those faces! These 9-week cuties love to
roll and tumble and play.
But don't let their small size fool you. They are
boxer-collie mixes, so they'll get quite a bit bigger!] |
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Ten reasons to adopt a shelter dog
1. I'll bring out your playful side!
2. I'll lend an ear to your troubles.
3. I'll keep you fit and trim.
4. We'll look out for each other.
5. We'll sniff out fun together!
6. I'll keep you right on schedule.
7. I'll love you with all my heart.
8. We'll have a tail-waggin' good time!
9. We'll snuggle on a quiet evening.
10. We'll be best friends always.
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CATS
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[Logan County Animal Control is thankful for pet supplies
donated by individuals and Wal-Mart.] |
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In the cat section there are a number of wonderful cats to
choose from
in a variety of colors and sizes.
Farm cats available for free!
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[This big boy is Sam.
Sam's a little pushy, so no small kids, please.] |
[This fine looking girl is Snake. She's just a kitten, and
she's ready to slither her way into your heart.] |
[Snowball and Sunshine, a beautiful girl-boy pair, can't wait
to bring joy and warmth into your home.] |
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These animals and
more are available to good homes from the Logan County Animal
Control at 1515 N. Kickapoo, phone 735-3232.
Fees for animal
adoption: dogs, $60/male, $65/female; cats, $35/male, $44/female.
The fees include neutering and spaying.
Logan County Animal Control's hours of operation:
Sunday
closed
Monday
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Tuesday
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Wednesday
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Thursday
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Friday
8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Saturday
closed
NOTE: Beginning April 28, hours will
be 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on weekdays
and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays.
Vickie Loafman, animal control warden
Maurice Tierney,
deputy animal control warden
Tammy Langley, part-time assistant |
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