Quincy Herald Whig

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Published: 9/1/2009 | Updated: 11/6/2009

LOCAL
HYDRO FOLO: Quincy officials are still assessing interest shown by power companies and other entities in the possibility of taking over the city’s hydropower projects in Canton and Saverton, Mo. The city has abandoned efforts to develop hydropower at Lock and Dam 20 in Canton and Lock and Dam 22 in Saverton so it can focus on hydro possibilities at Lock and Dam 21 in Quincy, Lock and Dam 24 in Clarksville, Mo., and Lock and Dam 25 at Winfield, Mo. The city hopes to recoup some of the costs by turning over the Saverton and Canton projects to others with an interest in exploring them further.
CENSUS POVERTY: Poverty is on the rise in Western Illinois and Northeast Missouri. “We’re now serving 437 families and that jumped 34 families in the last month,” said Lillian Bowen, secretary treasurer of the Barry Food Pantry. When the pantry opened seven years ago it assisted 46 families. John and Sandra Taylor of Nebo know the feeling.
BUSINESS TAX: Owners of LLC and LLP partnerships are waiting for Gov. Pat Quinn’s signature on a tax repeal so they do not face higher taxes next year.
DOGS LIVING LONGER: Just as people are living longer, so are our pets. A pet gerontology expert says their longer lives can be attributed to more responsible pet ownership, a stronger human-animal bond and better veterinary care and pet nutrition. We talk to local pet owners and veterinarians.
NEW SNORING TREATMENT: Quincy Medical Group now offers an FDA-approved Pillar procedure, a treatment for snoring and moderate obstructive sleep apnea. Before patients had to travel more than 100 miles for the procedure. Dr. Albert Marchiando, an ENT at QMG, offers the 20-minute procedure.

REGION
MONROE CITY CHURCH: Destroyed by a tornado more than three years ago, First Baptist Church in Monroe City will dedicate its new sanctuary this Sunday.
HOUSEWIFE: Viewers of “The Real Housewives of Orange County” will see a familiar face this week when former Hannibal resident Alexis Bellino makes her first appearance on Bravo’s reality show.
HANNIBAL BRIDGE: City officials may have learned something for the future with the settlement of a long-running dispute with Great River Engineering over the Main Street bridge. “If a situation comes up again where we need a bridge designed for specific highway standards, we’ll make absolutely certain there’s no misunderstanding in that regard,” City Attorney James Lemon said.

COMMENTARY
HART COLUMN: Residents in Hannibal are understandably nervous about the fate of Rockcliffe Mansion. A Florida couple recently had their $710,000 bid approved by a bankruptcy judge and are coming to Hannibal soon to look at the historic house at 10th and Bird. The Rockcliffe Mansion is more than a house — it’s a piece of living history, showing what Hannibal was like at the turn of the century when lumber baron J.J. Cruikshank built it for his family.
EIGHINGER COLUMN: Autumn has officially arrived and what better way to celebrate than having lunch? Here’s my latest list of lunch candidates who I would like to break bread with.
WILSON COLUMN: Starting next year Illinois voters’ secret ballots won’t be quite so secret. Voters who “undervote” on constitutional offices will hear a beep when election judges run their ballot through an optical scanner. The election judge will then question whether the voter intended to cast no vote in some contests.

JOBS & MONEY
WHERE’S MY BRAND? Some of fashion’s best-known names are playing musical chairs. Faced with a consolidating department store industry and eroding sales, some labels are cutting ties with some of the stores that sell their brands and betting their future with one chain. Though it’s confusing to customers, it helps the clothing makers shore up fading brands and will even make some of them cheaper.
US STIMULUS JOBS: Many communities hit hardest by job losses, those built around dying factories and mills, have been slowest to see relief from President Barack Obama’s stimulus plan, underscoring how hard it is for Washington policymakers to create lasting work in areas that need it most.
DIVIDEND INVESTING: Dividend reinvestment plans, or DRIPs, have long been touted as a savvy and inexpensive way to buy into the market for long-term benefits. But now that companies are slashing their dividends right and left, is the strategy still as valuable? We take a look.
BIZ NOTEBOOK: Lead item is Hannibal tourism receiving a big shot in the arm with Mark Twain on the cov er of the state’s primary tourism guide, highlighting the “Year of Mark Twain” in America’s Hometown. SE.

AGRICULTURE
HOME GROWN ENERGY: Unlike most small farms, Vern and Gianaclis Caldwell’s heat and electricity is entirely homegrown.
FOCUS ON AGRICULTURE: Most producers know that going into a wet field with equipment will cause soil compaction. But with the late harvest season and wet soil conditions, many operators will take compaction as the lesser evil.
CROP UPDATE: The speed — or lack of— of grain drying is certainly one of the critical elements making for harvest concerns this year.
IN THE GARDEN: Composting is an important part of any garden. A specific method of composting is called lasagna gardening, and it is easy. You don’t have to remove grass weeds, and you don’t have to work the soil at all.

ARTS
WEST SIDE STORY: If you haven’t seen the classic musical “West Side Story,” now is your chance. On Wednesday, the show opens on the Quincy High School stage, showcasing the talents of more than 200 students. You’ll be in good company. Despite its being a classic, a surprising percentage of the cast had never seen the show and were familiar with its music only as songs in their band repertoire.