DeWitt Daily News - Letters & Columns

DeWittDailyNews.com welcomes letters to the editor, as a way we can let our readers and listeners sound off on the issues most important to them. If you wish to submit a letter, please note the following guidelines:

Letter To The Editor: Lincoln Chamber President Thanks Those Making Art & Balloon Festival A Success

You Were Great!

What an outstanding weekend we had for the 2010 Lincoln Art and Balloon Festival. On behalf of the Lincoln/Logan County Board of Directors, our sincere thank you to the many that helped this event take place.

Thank you to the City of Lincoln and Logan County public officials and employees who supported our event through their financial commitments and hours of labor. Lincoln looked outstanding!! Also, to the many volunteers who helped spruce up the downtown area through your time and donations of material.

Thank you to the hundreds of volunteers and the coordinators who gave so many hours out of their schedules to make this annual festival a success. This year it took over 400 volunteers both downtown and at the airport to make sure this event is safe and enjoyable for all. Without our army of volunteers, an event of this size would not be possible.

Thank you to the artists, the pilots and their crews. The creativity and beautiful balloons you bring to our city each year make this the premier family event in Central Illinois.

Thank you to our vendors, crafters, caterers and wineries for their continued participation and support.

Thank you to Main Street Lincoln and the Oasis for hosting and organizing such a successful Art of Wine and Flea Market. The addition of the wine tasting and flea market has really help bring the Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival to new level that engage a broader crowd. We appreciate partnering with you and your organizations.

And I want to extend a huge thank you to all our sponsors at every level. We know that this event doesn’t take place without the financial commitment, whether individually or through your business. It takes thousands of dollars to bring in the artists and pilots. Your generosity ensures that they will continue to want to come back to our community each year.

Thank you to the current Chamber Board of Directors. You each stepped up and assisted whenever you were asked. I could not be more fortunate to have such an outstanding group of individuals who help plan our event throughout the year.

Thank you really isn’t enough to the Chamber staff, led by our Executive Director, Andi Hake and our Event Coordinator, Heidi Browne. Your team was exceptional, and we are lucky to have each and every one of you!!!! Thank you for the extra time away from your friends and families so that our festival was as smooth and successful as possible.

Thank you to our local businesses that opened their doors to the many visitors who came into our communities. We hope you also had a successful weekend and were able to show off your talents, products, and services.

Lastly, a thank you to all the citizens of Lincoln and Logan County. YOU are our greatest asset and the reason that we tell others that Lincoln and Logan County is a great place to do business!! Thank you for attending our event and making it the biggest in its 37 year history.

We are always open to new ideas and new members for our organization. Please stop by the Information Station or give the Chamber a call at 217-735-2385.

Sincerely,
Deron Powell, President
Lincoln/Logan County Board of Directors

The Class of '73 would like to take this moment to thank all of those who have helped in fundraising efforts for the Clinton Roque Court Peace Park Project. Your generosity and support is what keeps our class focused on the task we've undertaken. We are looking forward to seeing you during and after the project. Help us make Clinton pride contagious.

Letter to the Editor: Clinton Chamber "Business After Hours" Important Networking Opportunities

Dear Editor:

We at the Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau encourage members of this community - not exclusively the business community - to attend Chamber Business After Hours events.
While many other chambers of commerce require reservations, tickets or admission fees to attend a Business After Hours event, Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce members do not. Our local Business After Hour Events are free to all and guests are encouraged to “come as you are” and stay for the duration or just stop in to shake a few hands and offer support to the hosting member. While many Chambers require Chamber membership to attend a Business After Hours, the Clinton Area Camber of Commerce welcomes everyone - Chamber members, their employees and the general public are all invited.
For guests, Chamber Business After Hours events are an excellent means of meeting new people, re-connecting with those whom you may not have seen in a while, making new contacts, discussing and sharing ideas, learning about business-related resources, making business deals, supporting fellow business owners and more. Also, Chamber members who attend these events and bring their business card (or send a representative with their business card) are eligible to win a month of free advertising on Cable Channel 13!
For those hosting a Chamber Business After Hours event, it provides an opportunity to get people in the doors to learn more about their business (what services or goods they offer, how their production is handled, introduce employees to the business community as well as the public, feature any specials or new products and services, distribute coupons or promotional products, etc.). The Chamber also provides advertising for the hosting business in the form of internet, printed and cable media.

Look for future details regarding these upcoming tentatively scheduled Chamber Business After Hours:

August - Clintonia Eagle Theater
August 2010 will mark the second anniversary of the theater’s arrival in Clinton.

September - Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau
Join us in celebrating National Chamber Week!

October - D.O.V.E.
October is National Domestic Violence month.

November - Kenney Heritage Association
Enjoy the Festival of Trees, refreshments and good company during this event!

December - DeWitt County Museum Association
The Victorian Mansion will be decorated for the holiday and the museum gift store filled with items for those on your shopping list.

We sincerely encourage your readers to attend these upcoming events and support the local hosting businesses and organizations.

Sincerely,
Marian Brisard, Executive Director
Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau

To the Editor:

Two and a half years ago when the 175th was simply a number, those of us involved had no clue regarding the journey to get to June of 2010. That journey involved many dedicated, positive, community-minded people who worked very hard to make the celebration a success. Because of the generosity of our seventy-seven sponsors listed in our Schedule of Events brochure, we were able to provide free entertainment.

Grateful thanks to: the businesses who stocked souvenirs (Chamber of Commerce, Buck Appliances, The Loft, Country Junction, Warner Library, Graves’ Stationers, Illinois Harvest, and DeWitt County Museum), the merchants for their cooperation with the square closing, the city council and city hall employees, WHOW for interviews and live coverage, the local newspapers (Clinton Journal, DeWitt Daily News, DeWitt County Constitution, Bloomington Pantagraph, Decatur Herald and Review), the history book committee (Betty Adcock, Shirley Fields, Linda Hinton, Jean Wallace, and Carole Wylder), Larry Martin and Larry Buss for emceeing, churches who changed their service times to allow people to attend the community church service, Pastor Don Ferrill for ministering at the community church service, the First Christian Church for loaning their bus for tours and folding chairs for the church service, all parade participants, Weldon Springs for picnic tables, Susan Cooper and Ginny Carter with the Youth Initiative group, all who helped during and after the storm of Friday night, Terry Ferguson and crew for the chicken dinner on Sunday, Clinton Equipment for donating the Gator, Ruby Smith and area hairdressers for an entertaining fashion show, Clinton firefighters for their skill challenge, Coalition for a Non-Violent Community for the Play for Peace kids’ games, kickball games participants, the non-profit food vendors, the artisans and authors, and all the many, many volunteers who worked on committees.

Thanks also to all who attended the Celebration. We enjoyed and appreciated the wonderful community spirit.

The 175th Clinton Celebration Board – Marjorie Devore, Judy Wollet, Stan Watkins, Carlene Morgan, Patrice Brotherton, Ruth Lowers, Sissy Leggett, Barbara Strange, Vanessa Mandrell, Kraig McMath, Ken Moore, B.A. Nelson, Pat Lassonde, Bill Harris, Kathy Evans

From the Mayor's Chair
June 24, 2010

There are no words to express the thanks and gratitude that the city has for the hard work and effort of the volunteers of the 175th board and committees. The fruit of your labor was in the success of this past weekend's event. You are the best of Clinton.

Following are the remarks that opened the 175th Clinton Celebration.

"It's 10 o'clock...175 years later and James Allen and Jesse Fell, we'd just like you to know that we're still here and we're ready to celebrate.

Good morning, everyone. What a great day to begin Clinton's 175th Birthday Celebration! Thank you all for being here. And a special thank you to the 175th Celebration board and their co-chairs Marjorie Devore and Judy Wollet. On behalf of the city of Clinton and the city council, thank you to all who put this celebration together.

The time for planning has come to an end. The time for meetings is over. The time to gather has arrived. Your labor's fruition lies before you in the celebration of the next three days. And celebrate we will. For we have much to celebrate.

But, while all of those things may change with time, James Allen and Jesse Fell knew what we all know, that a town is ultimately not measured by what it does or what it has. Clinton is and always will be defined by its people. Whether your family lays claim here for generations or this is your first year here does not matter as much as what you are bringing to Clinton.

Twenty-five years ago we celebrated Clinton's Sesquicententennial. Twenty-five years hence we will celebrate our Bicentennial. But today we celebrate our Quartoseptcentennial! We begin three days that will celebrate the spirit of those who came before us, our own spirit claiming Clinton as home today and still others who will come after us. We will dream a future for that new generation just as James Allen and Jesse Fell dreamed a future for us so long ago.

There is much for us to point to with pride. There is much yet to do. God Bless us, God Bless our country, and God Bless our beloved Clinton. Let the celebration begin.

Letter to the Editor: CONGRATS to Clinton 175th Anniversary Committee for Job Well Done

175th Celebration was Great!!!

Letter to the Editor,

I would personally like to thank each and every one of the entire 175th Celebration committee for putting together such a wonderful weekend. My family did the kettle corn and shakeups and was able to raise money for YMCA Camp Osage and would not have been able to do it without all the hard working people for this celebration. It was wonderful. You made me proud to be from Clinton especially in a time when all we see and hear is gloom and doom. It was so nice to see everyone from the young to the old enjoying all the different venues that was offered. I would also like to personally thank all the sponsors of the various entertainments. Without you Clinton would have a hard time surviving. So, please make sure you all walk around the next few days proud as peacocks, enjoying all the good comments and give yourself an extra pat on the back for a JOB WELL DONE!!

Jean Rogers

Big R Concessions

Clinton,Ill

Dear Editor:

On Memorial Day, May 31, 2010, I found myself yet again proud to be from Clinton, Illinois. While attending the Memorial Day Service at Woodlawn Cemetery, I was touched by the number of people who turned out to show their support. Scattered throughout the crowd, I was impressed with how many families were present with multiple generations being represented. Whether a veteran or a civilian, whether a family member or a friend, we were all there for the same purpose – to remember.

I’d like to applaud the planning done by Marjorie Devore and Ernest Thorp, as well as Clinton’s Veterans’ Organizations who are always on stand-by to help when needed – VFW Post #4168, AmVets Post #14, and American Legion Crang-Bennett Post #103.

We hear it often that “freedom is not free.” This is one of the sayings displayed on the monument at Veterans Point, located at Weldon Springs State Park. Dave Herzog was present at the Memorial Day Service to dedicate the Battle Cross sculpture, which will now be permanently located at Veterans Point. If you have not yet experienced this tribute paid to our military “past, present and future,” please go visit Veterans Point - you do not know what you are missing!

Thank you to our veterans for your service and sacrifice. Thank you also to those who are currently serving our country, and make the United States of America a nation in which we may live free. May we always remember the men and women who sacrificed their lives to give us this freedom.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Jameson
Tourism Director
Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau

J. Sterling Morton lived on the plains of Nebraska. In 1872, he looked out on the flat relatively barren landscape and arrived at a simple idea. Plant a tree. In fact, he thought perhaps not just him but maybe he might encourage others to do the same. The effect has been profound. We now celebrate Arbor Day across the United States. Here in Clinton the official day was celebrated last Saturday, May 1. Two trees, a red and white oak, were added to the new arboretum on East Main Street to honor long time residents, now deceased, Bill Anderson and Blossom Wisby. It was a beautiful day and well attended.

We, our granddaughters included, are looking forward to the 2010 edition of MayDays. A lot of hard work goes into this production by Marian Brisard, Carolyn Jameson, Joey Woolridge and the entire Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism board of directors. The city and residents appreciate their efforts. This annual event makes Clinton a great small town in which to live and raise a family…relax and enjoy one another’s company. Come on out and enjoy the rides, the food and the entertainment. Advanced sales are available.

Things are “Greening Up”. The yard waste facility is getting a workout. The hours of operation are Tuesday and Thursday from 4 PM to 6 PM and Saturday 8 AM to 12 PM and 1 PM to 5 PM. Street-side pickup of brush and limbs is the third Monday of the month. Street-side pick up of bagged leaves and yard waste is available anytime by calling city hall.

Speaking of “Picking Up”…en masse dog-walking time has arrived again and this friendly reminder that it is the walker’s responsibility to carry a receptacle with them that is suitable to pickup their pet’s “leavings.” If code enforcement sees you out without a method of “Picking Up” you’ll be given a free bag with a copy of the city ordinance in the bag. After that…well…read the ordinance.

More on “Greening Up”…Clinton and DeWitt County host three low- or no-carbon sources of energy. They include landfill gas, nuclear and soon-to-come wind energy generation. None of them come with the catastrophic potential of oil spills. In each case instead of “Drill, Baby, Drill” they are “Spin, Baby, Spin.” GreenSphere Global supports renewable energy and future green jobs. The most recent oil accident in the Gulf of Mexico should renew DeWitt County’s commitment to become the first county in the world to reach zero carbons and to support cap and trade legislation that will put a premium on carbons.

Are we a throw away society? The Department of Streets and Public Improvement reported over THREE HUNDRED loads of material were brought out to the City-Wide Clean Up Day. This was on the heels on the fall clean up. Santa must have been really good to us here in Clinton for us to have to make that much room in houses! I have to admit though that getting ready to move from a house we’ve been in for over thirty-five years has presented its own share of “why did we keep this” problems as we sort through our stuff.

What’s the old saying…if life gives you lemons make lemonade? Well, if you live deep in the heart of corn and bean country you might want to consider making Agri-Tourism out of it. One of the fastest growing industries in the Midwest is tourism. Well, tourism’s not just for Lincoln any more. You can count agriculture in on the game. Some popular examples are pumpkin patches, berry farms, orchards, wineries, farmer markets, and bed and breakfasts.

Finally, Jim and Sharon Miller (both former city council members) wrote me saying that they have a copy of the 1940 issue of Fortune Magazine. The feature article is about Clinton and the Millers are offering it to the library. It is a treasure and so are they. Even though they have retired deep into the heart of Florida, the Millers continue their ties and devotion to Clinton. Many ex-pats feel the same way. I know we will.

Dear Sir: I recently sent a letter to the Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce (on celebrating Clinton's 175th Anniversary).

My thoughts:

During Clinton's upcoming celebration, some night on the square, Mr. Lincoln's Stage, city clock in the background, have a program called "Turning Back the Clock" on WHOW, to 1955. (Play some) period music, dress, news, remake of programs from the WHOW program schedule.

As an example, July 5th, 1950, research who was advertsing, etc.

Contact people (such as) Bill Ward, Barbra Lisinty Kent, Jan Budsill, interview people at the Friendship Center that are 70+ years old.

Tape (the) show for replay on today's WHOW!

Yours truly,
James L. Hull
Clinton, Illinois

Having grown up in a small town I have always sort of taken for granted the idea that if something broke it could be fixed by one of our local craftsman. Shoes, electronics etc.... Since the Revere pull-out we lost the leather guy. We still have blacksmiths and knife sharpeners and blacksmiths and watch repair. I'm certain there is someone who can fix a hem or replace a zipper. Emmit could fix all things electric in Mayberry but I am not so certain that service exists here any longer.

With the throw away attitude we are raising our children around it probably won't be long when getting something fixed is a thing of the past. Where are the resources for repair on a small scale listed? How can we as a community find these folks? How can we support these small businesses if they are largely anonymous? Just some thoughts I had today.

R.E.Goff, Clinton.

Editor's Reply: A good source for this information, is the Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce.

I am so excited about the 175^th Clinton Celebration. I have been seeing many volunteers working hard getting ready for this. There is going to be such a variety of activities for people young and old to participate in during this three day celebration. There will be something for everyone. I look forward to the parade that Mr. McMath is organizing.

I would like to address one activity that I and several others are organizing, Kickball. Do you remember playing kickball as a kid? Well, I do. I loved playing it. I am organizing kickball games, and it will be for all ages. You won’t need any special equipment or skills just a desire to have fun!

I would like to challenge the schools to get several teams together. Maybe the Church Youth groups can get some teams up. Challenge other groups to enter a team. You only need to field 8 players but can have many more on the field. We will have a basic set of rules to keep everyone on the same page. The idea of this is to have some good clean fun.

I would really like to see some adult teams. I can see some very interesting match ups. IGA vs Save A Lot, Snapper’s vs Breakers, Elks vs Eagles. Maybe we could even get City Council vs DeWitt County. Police vs firefighters. The bases are only 60’ apart. If you need some help learning to play the game get some of the kids to coach you. The games will be played on Friday the 18^th from 1pm- 4 pm and Saturday from 9am – 12pm

When get a team together you may contact me with how many team members you have and T shirt sizes. If you need to play on a certain day let me know that too. I will need some volunteers to umpire the games. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to help me please call 935-9855 or email me at normevans@verizon.net.

Thursday, April 22, 2010, marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, a day created and since celebrated worldwide to bring awareness to important environmental issues.

Illinois soybean farmers were keenly aware of the value of sustaining the environment far before 1970. We are proud of our long-time heritage in being land and water stewards and bringing sustainable energy, food and replacement products for petroleum to U.S. consumers.

Biotechnology represents one of the greatest sustainable tools used by soybean farmers today, and helped bring about the widely used practice of no-till farming. No-till soybean systems can lead to a 90 percent reduction in soil erosion and a 70 percent cut in phosphorus. The result is better soil preservation, cleaner waters and more food to feed the world.

Illinois soybean farmers also were instrumental in the development of biodiesel, a sustainable alternative to petroleum diesel used in a number of applications. Biodiesel does not deplete fossil fuel resources. Rather, it is made from annually renewable soybean supplies. Biodiesel is cleaner burning and produces 50 percent less pollution than petroleum diesel.

Consumers can additionally find soybeans in human foods, livestock feeds and such uses as building materials, candles, lubricants, paints, plastics and printing inks. Soy is often a safer, higher-performing and more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional inputs.

Illinois soybeans are definitely Earth Day friendly. I am confident Illinois soybean farmers will continue to care for the environment for the next 40 years and beyond.

Ron Moore
Illinois Soybean Association Chairman
Roseville, Illinois Farmer

This is a station editorial, I'm Randal J. Miller, president and general manager. Nothing has stirred up more local controversy lately, than the continued goings-on at Clinton's Doctor John Warner Hospital. As we've previously reported, Carolyn Peters, the chairman of the hospital board, and CEO John Woods, were presented resignation letters by Clinton mayor Ed Wollet a few weeks back, in his office.

Both on and off the record reports indicate that the while the Mayor was trying to avoid a possible lawsuit by a hospital staff member that was in the process of being fired by Peters and Woods, Peters at a recent council meeting indicated that since her resignation was forced, she wanted her position back. It will be interesting to see if the city ends up in ligitation after all, if Peters takes the city to court.

In a column Mayor Wollet posted on dewittdailynews-dot-com April 2, he indicated that out of the 17-million dollars a year in revenue the hospital generates, only 250-thousand of it comes from the city in the form of tax revenue.

Sounds to me like this is as good a time as any, for local residents to tell the Clinton City Council, that they want the hospital board to run the hospital, not the city, and that the hospital should be separated from the city.

As we've said before, when it comes to Doctor John Warner Hospital, there are too many chiefs and not enough Indians. The community will be better served if the hospital is in the independent hands of the hospital board, and not the Clinton City Council.

That's our opinion....we welcome yours. EMAIL US

Wow! The Clinton Business Expo was spectacular this year. Congratulations to Marian and the Chamber Crew and Board on putting Clinton’s best foot forward.

A new booth this year included P2D2. It stands for Prescription Pill Drug Dropoff. The program will help clean up our waterways and reduce the likelihood that medications will end up in the wrong hands. Tara Pote of Veolia Environmental Services was our guest yesterday. Veolia would like to partner with our local effort to bring the disposal piece to the program. Right now we’re looking at three dropoff locations where you would be able to bring your unused and out-of-date medications. The target date for the first dropoff is late April. Stay tuned.

Just like the Chamber of Commerce, a lot of people and groups are working hard to be sure that Clinton succeeds and shines. Two of them are the Class of ’73 and the 175th Celebration Board and their committees. If it were possible to bottle and sell something so positive and so energetic to share with the world from Clinton and DeWitt County, it would be whatever is in the blood of these people.

The class of ’73 and their adoptees have taken on the challenge of renovating the Roque Court area. But from this same group has come vision and talent that will shape the future of Clinton for decades. Alongside them, the 175th Celebration folks are working long hours to be sure that Clinton has the opportunity to look back and relish in the its past and look ahead to its future.

These are just two groups filled with Clinton Spirit and enthusiasm. Look around and you will see many others working to make sure that Clinton is a positive experience for residents and visitors. They need your help and support. Others watch and listen. They read as well. Enthusiasm is contagious. Thanks to all of you.

The City of Clinton through an application process has a sidewalk program that pays up to 50% of eligible costs with submitted bills. Applicants can be reimbursed up to 100% of eligible costs based on income as verified by income and tax documents. Applications are available at city hall.

Exciting things are coming to the Clinton downtown. Mr. Lincoln’s Square will soon have WiFi. If you have to ask what that is you probably don’t need it. If you do know then you’ve already got your laptop and I-stuff packed and ready to go. Thanks to both ClintonNet (Jon Willoughby Computer Services) and MR Systems Wireless. This development will bring the City into the 21st century in a big way and make Clinton a much more user-friendly city for both residents and visitors to our downtown. Thank you to both businesses for looking out for the interests of Clinton above self.

And speaking of a business that thinks above self here is a statement about our health care system and Dr. John Warner Hospital that comes from a document produced recently by the University of Illinois. ““DeWitt’s [County] health care system will likely prove to be a key player in future development efforts of the county. The presence of a quality hospital and the health care system’s ability to provide a full range of services will play a major role in the attraction and retention of future employers. In addition to the services it provides, the health care system acts as a major contributor to both income and employment. The health care system directly generates 611 jobs. However, when including secondary effects, estimates show that the health care sector produces 748 jobs. Examining the income directly generated by the health care sector demonstrates a similar scenario. Health care directly creates almost $13 million of income, but including secondary effects, estimates indicate that health care generates over $16.1 million of income.”

“The Dr. John Warner Hospital (DJWH), located in the city of Clinton, acts as the anchor of this system and provides services to all residents ranging from the elderly to the uninsured. DJWH offers a full range of healthcare services. The hospital’s geographic area of service consists primarily of the greater Clinton area.”

Many people believe there is a great deal of tax money supporting this jewel of the community. There is not. In a $17 million operation taxes will account for about $250,000. For that Clinton residents receive:

This editiorial is being heard as the second portion of the new WHOW and WTIM Morning Farm Show on Monday, March 22nd:

For the second portion of our first-ever morning farm show on WHOW and WTIM, I want to reflect for a few moments, on one of those who literally plowed the ground for what we're doing this morning.

Today is our first day of having a 15-minute show devoted exclusively to local farm broadcasting, each morning, along with 15-minutes every weekday afternoon at 12:20.

This effort would not have been possible, had it not been for those who began local farm broadcasting in Central Illinois 40 years ago.

Leland Glazebrook passed away on Sunday, March 14th at the age of 88. I got to know Leland personally when he was the farm broadcaster on the forrmer WFWA Sullivan, in 1975.

Glazebook, who was from Sullivan, was the farm broadcaster for WLBH Mattoon, from 1968 until 1975. After that, he did farm broadcasting for the former WFWA Sullivan, WDZQ Decatur, and WMCI Mattoon. He also produced daily reports that were sent out on reel-to-reel tape in the 1970's, that were known as the Corn and Soybean Digest.

In 1976, he was elected to the board of trustees at Lake Land College in Mattoon, which is my alma mater. That was a post he held until his death on March 14th.

According to an article by writer Herb Meeker in the Mattoon Journal Gazette, Glazebrook's farm roots ran deep. In the 40's, he along with 2 neighbors, formed the Swine Herd Improvement Association, which became the Illinois Pork Producers Association. He then got involved in farm broadcasting on local radio while still farming.

I worked with him in the 70's in Sullivan, then our paths crossed many times at Lake Land College. I had the privilege of being presented the college's Alumni Achievement Award in 1996. Among the cards congraulating me on my award, was one from Leland, which I have framed in my office to this day. Here's part of what Leland wrote in 1996:

“In these days when so many look to Big Government for their security, it is refreshing to see someone go out and do it on their own.”

It's amazing that his words, written in 1996, hold even more true today.

Glazebrook's passion for agriculture has also been felt all over the Lake Land College campus. It was Glazebrook that helped start many of the agriculture programs on campus, including the John Deere Ag Tech, Pro Tech, and Ag Marketing programs. He also helped establish the college's first-ever permanent extension center in Effingham.

And, even into his 80's, Glazebrook was never satisfied with the status quo. He and I spoke many times about the college's continued growth to serve students across Central Illinois.

And, besides his trademark Stetson hat he wore everywhere and at all times, there was this Leland-ism that he always closed any of his farm reporting with: If you eat, then you, too, are involved in agriculture.

I think that's a great way to close out our morning and noon farm shows each weekday here on WHOW and WTIM, because all of us, in one way or another, are involved in agriculture, so we should all take an interest in Central Illinois' largest industry.

I look forward to Deanna's local reporting of farm issues that affect the 10 Central Illinois counties our stations serve. And, we have Leland Glazebrook to thank for blazing the trail for us, doing farm broadcasting before it was cool. Leland, our hat's off to you. Thank you for mentoring me, and mentoring farm broadcasting. We're all the better for it.

Email me your thoughts.