On June 18, 2009,
I developed a new feature called the "Shot of the day". I
began capturing one image per day here in Havana for that spot on the front
page which will give you a feel for what is going on around town on that
particular day. This page will contain a record of those images, published
here on a smaller scale. The original large images will be placed on the
website homepage and will change daily so be sure to check it out, you never
know, tomorrow may just be "your" day.
Memorial Day 2010...Promptly
at 9:45 am, the
skies opened up and quite a storm crossed the Illinois River and arrived
in Havana, Illinois. Some on the streets awaiting the parade assumed it
would be cancelled as the lightning, thunder, and downpour rumbled
loudly and echoed up the brick streets of downtown, as they ran for
their cars under their umbrellas and left...but they were wrong. It is a
day of honor for these Vets as they remember and salute there fallen
comrades and a mere thunderstorm would not stand in the way of their
tribute. To a hearty round of applause from those remaining the Colors
were proudly presented and carried through that same lightning, thunder,
and rain reminding all that nothing stopped our US Forces then or now.
Honoring America and those who gave everything.
Tracy has recorded two special songs
to honor our vets, those currently in service, and our Country. Please
take a listen....
June 2, 2010
Scooter Cam...capturing
Havana's "WILD" side. Sure we all know that for quite a bit of Havana's
past history it does include some Wild times in the old town but this
time I was able to capture one of Havana's real wildlife residents.
While heading South on Schrader Street recently I noticed something run
across the street about a block in front of me and ran down the side of
Peterson Health Care so I decided to investigate further since I
recognized what the critter was. So I parked the scooter, grabbed my
trusty point and shoot Canon and soon enough I heard a black bird really
raising heck about something. The rest is pretty much shown above, but
it does seem that this lady may not be alone in her river view home.
Stay tuned, you never know what Scooter Cam will find next.
Got any good "Wildlife in Havana" stories? Post
them on our FaceBook page...
June 3, 2010
"The Tank"...could
only mean one thing, Ken Freeman is in town for the Havana Catfish
Festival with his TV show and
Ken Freeman Outdoor Productions.
It all begins Friday at 4:00 PM and continues through
Sunday. The world’s largest rolling fish
tank is 6,000-gallon simulated natural environment. “The tank” hosts a
variety of aquatic guests, but all are examples of fish living in local
waters - not normally discovered in an aquarium.
Watch the crowds gather when the professionals climb atop “the
tank” for a show-and-tell style seminar. Pros offer tips and secrets to
the crowd from the Tracker Boat “stage” mounted atop the end of the
tank. Demonstrations of casting and other tricks over the aquatic guests
offer attendees a unique, interactive, educational experience.
“The Tank” is 53-foot-long gooseneck trailer that has been morphed
into a mobile fish aquarium. On arrival, the trailer makes its
transition into the natural fish habitat. The aquarium holds in excess
of 6,000 gallons of water, is visible from both sides, and can host
between 50-100 aquatic guests (depending on their size).
Havana Fuel's Fast Stop...was
the location of their Grand Re-Opening of the former Cenex chain held
last Friday. Some of the specials throughout the day included $1.99 per
gallon gas prices which created quite a line of customers both locals
and those traveling through town on the Holiday weekend. The Fast Stop
owners had agreed to provide the Havana Chamber of Commerce with a
donation of $.10
for each gallon of gas sold for the day. The numbers are
in and the new store will be donating a total of $1,874.80 for the
Chamber's Fireworks Fund. The Chamber had announced earlier that the
annual July 4th Fireworks Event would be cancelled without funding from
the community due to a lack of funds available for the event by the
Chamber. The City of Havana has contributed $500, a road block was
conducted on Main Street recently, and canisters have been placed in
local/area businesses asking for public donations plus I am sure area
businesses have also been asked for donations. I have no information on
the total amount of donations to date but it looks like the rocket's red
glare should be seen over Havana once again in 2010 thanks to the
efforts of the Chamber, generous donations from businesses like Fast
Stop, and the general public. If you are a fireworks fan please stop by
Fast Stop and tell them thanks for their huge support.
PS...that cheap little point and shoot camera is still
taking pretty good pics for Scooter Cam, I am getting to really like
that thing.
June 5, 2010
The State Journal-Register Baseball Classic...is
scheduled for June 20 at Lanphier Park beginning at 1:00PM. The
doubleheader matches a team of all-stars from the 40-plus Class 1A-2A
baseball-playing schools in the newspaper’s circulation area against a
team of all-stars from the Central State Eight Conference.
Havana Ducks infielders Levi Bridges and
Will Fisher will be making their first SJR Classic appearances as the
Ducks ended their 2010 season with 17 wins and 9 losses. Levi and Will
both had a great year and led the team in batting averages by capturing
the two top spots. Will Fisher had an amazing year at the plate for the
Ducks with a .506 batting average including 50 RBI's and 11 home runs.
Levi Bridges followed closely with a .413 batting average which included
17 RBI's and 4 home runs.
CONGRATULATIONS to two great young men
who both play their sports with a huge amount of intensity and are also
fierce competitors. More importantly in my book is the fact that both
compete with a high level of good sportsmanship and let their abilities
do their talking. Levi was a Senior this year and will be missed a great
deal in all the different sports he participated in. Playing hurt became
a trademark for Levi but he never let it show, he just adjusted. There
were so many great tackles he made in football and when looking closely
at the game photos I soon saw he was making those tackles with one arm
when he had his hand injury...and then there was basketball and Levi was
there, need I say more! Will was a junior transfer student this
year and it did not take him long to say hello to everyone at the
baseball field. His booming home runs soon became something to watch for
each time he stepped to the plate. On one occasion this year his home
run ball landed very near second base of the softball diamond during a
Lady Ducks softball game...that is a poke. Will is also a great young
man with a very strong work ethic and did I mention he is already being
scouted by two major league teams. We very much look forward to watching
him in the game again next year. Levi, you will be missed, but also
yourself and brother Ian (Thunder & Lightning) will be long remembered
when it's game time.
June 6, 2010
Havana's Catfish Festival...is
underway rain or shine, on the bank or in a boat, the big cats are out
there and lots of folks are looking for them. Sunday wraps up the fun but
before it's all over there will be lots of calling contests and other
activities, stop by and get a glimpse of some of the best fishermen in the
country here to compete in Ken Freeman's tournament. For more information
CLICK HERE.
June 7, 2010
A beautiful day...in
Central Illinois calls for a similar ending. Days just don't get much
better than this one was; bright and warm sunshine, a cool breeze, a sky
as blue as Paul Newman's eyes, and an endless parade of beautiful huge
white clouds passing overhead. Yes, June 6th is a day to remember and it
is very fitting that we always remember this date and the events that
changed history in 1944.
On this day all those years ago,
160,000 Allied troops landed in Normandy, France.
It was D-Day and it
involved five separate landings by American, British, and
Canadian troops and was commanded by American General Dwight D.
Eisenhower.
Stiff German resistance resulted in nearly 10,000 Allied
casualties, but the Germans were ultimately unable to repel the Allied
forces.
The D-Day invasion involved 5,000 ships
carrying men and vehicles across the English Channel as well as 800
planes dropping over 13,000 men in parachutes. A further 300 planes
dropped bombs on German troops defending the beaches. Over 100,000
Allied troops made it to shore that day.
Although the operation was successful and would be credited as the key
in the demise of Hitler's Nazi Germany, the huge costs of American
and Allied troops
lives
will be long remembered as one of the bloodiest days in our history.
June 8, 2010
Mark Friedrich...decided
a few years ago to put in a lot of work and bring boat races back to the
Illinois River at the shores of Havana, Illinois. Organizing any event
takes a lot of time and work but to bring in a racing group such as the
"National Boat Racing Association" to a small venue like Havana is a
major accomplishment. The first event was a major success and RiverFront
Park was packed all weekend. The fans loved it from the old-timers who
were fans of the original local races to the kids who have never seen a
boat race.
Over twenty
different teams will arrive in town, each with a number of different
classes of boats in tow to compete in the weekend long racing
activities.
A few years
have passed and the Havana Boat Races will be chasing the Asian Carp
back South once again on the Weekend of July 17th & 18th. This is a
great family event and I have decided that I would lend the support ofwww.62644.comto the event in order to help the
NBRAto continue to bring it's quality racing back to Havana. I
became an event sponsor and would like to encourage other Central
Illinois businesses to become an event sponsor also by contacting Mark
Friedrich at 309-543-3528. If you haven't seen NBRA racing before you
will be amazed at the exciting close racing action, take a look at our
2008 event coverage by clicking this link:http://www.62644.com/2008/July/NBRA-BoatRaces-July-DayOne.html
.
June 9, 2010
And the winners are, EVERYONE!...Havana's
Fast Stop Manager, Dianne Farrow had an idea when she heard about the
possible cancellation of Havana's Annual July 4th Fireworks display. Her
idea was a simple one and a way to help Havana's Chamber of Commerce
finance the July 4th event, so she contacted the Chamber and her company
officials. It was as simple as that, since Fast Stop's Grand Re-Opening
was held on the Friday of our recent Memorial Day Weekend Dianne's plan
was soon implemented. Many things were going on durring the Re-Opening;
lots of give-a-ways, $1.99 gas, and a free cookout. The food was
supplied by Fast
Stop and
the Chamber members jumped in and cooked some great and huge hotdogs for
everyone. The
original deal was for Fast Stop to donate 10 cents
for every gallon of gas sold on
Friday, but the corporate office of Fast Stop went one huge step further
and donated 10 cents per gallon for the entire
weekend. Inside
the envelope in the above photo is a check to the Chamber for
$1,874.80. So happy fireworks everyone in Mason County,
and a huge thank you to Dianne and her great company for going the extra
mile, and of course the Chamber for putting forth a huge effort to make
it happen, great job...EVERYONE!
There were a number of other big winners
over the weekend also, Robyn Briney was the winner of the big and
beautiful Cub Cadet mower and Gillian and Halicyn Minor were the winners
of the Basketball Hoop Game. Other winners over the weekend were:
Jessica French, Melvin Esselman, Kim Bennett, Josh Miller, and Roger
Mason.
Flag, Parade, Fireworks, and a Pageant...Once
again, Lori Smith is serving as the Chairman of the Lil Miss
Sparkler/Mr. Firecracker Pageant for the Havana Women of Today. Lori
does a great job with this pageant and has sent me some information
regarding this years event. She is still looking for entrants so give
her a call at 309-338-0473. Below is the basic information required to
enter the pageant...
Thank you for your interest
in the Havana Women of Today Lil Miss Sparkler/Mr. Firecracker Pageant. My
name is Lori Smith and I am Chairman of this event again this year. My phone
number is (309)338-0473. Please contact me with any questions or concerns
you might have. There are a few things I need to inform you about so I hope
this letter answers your questions.
Your child must be 4 years of age prior to July 4th of this year.
This pageant is for 4 and 5 year olds. If your child turns 6 prior to July 4th
they are ineligible to participate in the pageant. You must have a sponsor
for your child. If you have trouble finding one please contact me and I will
assist you in any way I can. Your application must be returned to me along
with and $20 entry fee and a photo of your child NO LATER than June 24th
at noon. If your application is later than this your child may not get their
photo and entry submitted to the newspaper and other media on time.
There are two categories for
our judging CASUAL and SUNDAY BEST. No swimsuits are allowed and Sunday Best
means as it says Sunday Best . It is up to the parents of the winners to get
their child to the upcoming parades. You will be contacted by an HWT member
to the parade dates and times. The pageant will be at the Lawford Theatre
downtown immediately after the parade on the 3rd of July. There will be a
practice on Friday evening (July 2md) at the theatre at
6:15pm.The children do not have to be in their pageant attire at this time.
This is a time to get acquainted with your child and prepare them for the
pageant.
Again I’d like to thank you
for you interest in the pageant and offer my assistance to you in any way I
can. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. I am
looking forward to another exciting pageant and meeting some wonderful
children.
June 11, 2010
Giclée’s for the iDucks…As many of
you know the very popular iDuck Network Program started at the HJHS in
February of this year, it became an instant hit and a very successful
educational program. This coming fall those first iDuck Team Members will
move to the Havana High School and begin a new program there with the Jr.
High Program continuing there with new members. I am proud to say that I was
able to help start this program in a small way and will continue to support
this worthy project.
I have selected four
images from my files of local original photographs and with the expertise
and help of a world-famous Certified Master Printer created four beautiful
pieces of original artwork using the Giclée Art Archival printing process.
These prints are one of a kind and signed “1 of 1” certifying them as
original works of art.
On June 26th
these art prints will be auctioned off and the profits will be donated to
the iDuck Network. The silent auction will be conducted at an event held at
Sheridan Lane’s Restaurant between 11am and 7pm. This event is scheduled to
coincide with the Havana Ducks Football Golf Tournament at Lakewood Golf
Course and will have live music and lots of great food and drink specials.
Please stop by and
make a bid on these beautiful original art prints and help support the iDuck
Network. Two of the prints are currently on display at THE National Bank and
another is displayed at Sheridan Lane’s Restaurant. Each print comes with a
Certificate of Authenticity and all original images were captured in the
Havana area; “Snowy Lane” just South of Havana, “Spoon” just West of the
intersection of Spoon River and the Illinois River, “Summer Nights” on the
Illinois River at RiverFront Park, and “Spring” inside a local floral
greenhouse.
What is a Giclée art print?…The
Giclée printing technique is now the State of the Art process for producing
oil painting reproductions. Giclée prints in limited editions are
appreciated by fine art collectors and connoisseurs. Limited edition, museum
quality reproductions are included in the collections of many of the worlds
finest museums, including the Louvre, the Smithsonian, the New York
Metropolitan Museum and the British Museum. The Giclée printing process is a
high tech method of printing which can generate prints of digital images of
unrivaled quality.
As in traditional printmaking and fine
art photography, sheets are printed one at a time, and images printed at the
highest settings can require more than one hour each. Again, as in
traditional printmaking and photography, extensive hand work is required to
produce the final print. Like proofing an intaglio or stone lithograph, each
digital file must be proofed then adjusted and proofed again. Since the
colors of the image on a computer monitor cannot fully match printing inks,
it is generally only after extensive proofing, tweaking the digital file,
then printing, then tweaking the digital file again, etc., that the final
image emerge. The resulting digital file in essence then can be compared to
the printing plate in intaglio or film negative in photography. This time
consuming, often tedious proofing ensures that the final print is true to
the intent of the artist.
June 12, 2010
It doesn't get
better than this…A
mid 90's June day with humidity to match, a pool filled with cool crystal
clear water, and a bunch of happy, energy filled youngsters and you get lots
of very happy faces. And should some of those faces be covered with a
rapidly melting fudge bar, the smiles seem to grow even larger. :) So
"HIT THE POOL!"
June 13, 2010
The beauty of nature…combined with
some nice soft and even lighting can become an awesome image.
June 14, 2010
The floral tour of Havana
continues...We could make 62644.com a more
interactive website, I'll keep shooting
photos of flowers and when all of you allergy sufferers log on sneeze
when you see them.
June 15, 2010
So what's a little rain...This
one pretty well sums up the weather lately. But as this lady is showing by
her actions...if it's going to rain there's not much we can do about it so
enjoy it anyway. So let's see what tomorrow brings.
June 16, 2010
A beautiful sight...and
that pretty much says it all.
June 17, 2010
Emiquon...is
one of the largest floodplain restoration projects in the country outside
the Florida Everglades. It is the premiere demonstration site for The Nature
Conservancy’s work on the Illinois River and within the Upper Mississippi
River system and may ultimately help guide large floodplain river
restoration efforts around the world.
Emiquon once was the jewel of the Illinois River, nurturing diverse and
abundant communities of native plants and animals in the complex system of
backwater wetlands and lakes. Hundreds of nearby archeological sites,
including Native American villages and ceremonial and burial mounds, are a
quiet testimony to the abundant natural resources that supported more than
500 generations of civilization in this area.
For more than 12,000 years, people have been
drawn to the land now called Emiquon. And the land bears witness to the
passing of 500 generations of human life, from mysterious burial mounds and
ancient cemeteries to acres of modern fields of corn and soybeans.
Archaeologists consider Emiquon — with more than 149 documented
archaeological sites — and the lands around it, one of the richest places
for discovered Native American sites in the country. It is a place of
mystery and legend with strong connections to the past.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY "Shot of the Day"
June 18, 2010
Just 1 year ago...today
I posted the very first "Shot
Of The Day". I knew that the new feature was going to be a
challenge for me personally, but it has been a good challenge. The photo
above, shot last night at the Nature Center, is actually only a few yards
away from the very spot where the first one was taken a year ago so some
might think we haven't come far at all in the past year...I think of it more
as a full circle. Doing this feature has definitely been a challenge but I
have really enjoyed doing it and look forward to the next year of this
feature beginning today. My goal for this new year is to shoot more than
last year as there were a few times I had to miss a new shot and leave the
previous day's shot up, but I'm working on that one. I would like to thank
all the visitors who have taken the time to send comments about the feature
and especially about their favorites. That feedback helps me determine what
I will be doing more of in the feature, so please do not hesitate to drop me
a note either on the website
FaceBook Pageor at
crtrc1@aol.com,
they are greatly appreciated. You just never know when you may become the
next Shot of the Day, so don't forget to check it out every day. Should you
miss some you can use the links below to check out what's been going on.
June 19, 2010
Farm Safety 4 Kids...was held at the Mason County Fairgrounds on Friday the 18th. The event
sessions started at 9am and the finale at 12:30pm in the arena. The event
was sponsored by Mason County Extension, Farm Bureau, Cargill and Sunrise
Ag. Eight different stations were set up that
attendees rotated to for each 20 minute sessions. The topics on safety were
ATV Safety, Poisonous Plants, Fire Safety, Animal Safety, Hunting Safety,
Electrical Safety, Chemical Safety, and Keeping it Clean. Lunch break was
from 12-12:30. At 12:30 the final safety event with the K9 Unit was
presented in the arena.Don't forget it will be fair time before we know it, for
more information on it and other activities please
CLICK HERE.
June 20, 2010
The Convoy For Kids...You
will find that truckers are not only a hard working bunch but also a very
caring group. When Russ Harris started with a simple idea a few years ago to
get a bunch of his trucking buddies to come over to Mason City for a good
day of showing off your ride and relaxing with friends over some good food,
ice cold soft drinks and good music all in the name of helping St. Jude's
Research Hospital find cures for childhood illnesses. It was a modest
beginning that has grown to much larger proportions thanks to all those
truckers sitting way up there on top of those big beautiful rigs.
The next time you meet one on the highway give them a wave,
they do a tough and demanding job...in fact if you think about it our
country could not function without their hard work. Great Job All.
Photos from this event can be viewed or purchased by
CLICKING HERE.
June 21, 2010
SUMMER, it's officially here...and a great time for
a little boat ride on the Illinois River. Sunday morning the Niagara Prince
decided to make a stop at the Havana Park District's
new Nature Center. The break in their trek North allowed all the passengers
to disembark to the Nature Center and enjoy spending some time in RiverFront
Park visiting with locals and other travelers. After
seeing the smiles on the passengers faces and hearing some of their comments
it is pretty obvious that more stops on voyages like this one will be on
their schedules in the future.
You might want to stop the new
Nature Center if you haven't been there already.
They have some great food items and OMG those snow cones are to die for.
They will be adding new items along
the way which will be very
interesting. It's a great get-a-way for a relaxing lunch, unwind after work,
catch a sunset like the one at left recently, or just hang out with your
friends. The inside seating provides a break from a hot day in the summer
and what a great place to watch the Bald Eagles fishing the Illinois River
in the winter. The relaxing deck provides a great view and atmosphere for
enjoying a quiet moment. Check it out! The Center is closed on Monday and
Tuesday. Open from 10am till 7pm on Wednesday and Thursday, 10am till 9pm on
Friday and Saturday, and Noon till 5pm on Sunday. See you there.
June 22, 2010
Enough to "Float
your Toad"...The day was
pretty much a copy of the weather lately, hot and humid on the first
official day of Summer. The kids were getting ready for the Havana Park
District's Swim Free day when the fireworks began a couple of weeks early
and the skies opened up. Luckily it was a relatively small cell and didn't
last too long, but it did drop lots of water and plenty of
real boomers while it was in town. Needless to say the free
swim was cut very short for the kids...BUT, the Park District has scheduled
the event again and this time for August 15th, so mark your calendars and
keep your toads dry.
June 23, 2010
Here we go again...Tuesday
morning started off being pretty nice and then all of a
sudden the skies to the Northwest began turning pretty dark. Within a few
minutes the storm was moving South and as you can see in the Scooter Cam
photo above as the leading edge
of the cell passed overhead it turned everything pretty dark in a big hurry.
Now don't get me wrong, I love watching storms, to experience the impact and
feel the power of nature to me is an awesome experience. Certainly these
storms can be very dangerous and if you do not respect them you have been
struck by too many bolts of lightning, but they are beautiful photographic
subjects and constantly changing. Ok, I know you are tired of all the rain
and storms we have had lately and I don't blame you. Many of you are
battling with water in your homes, yards, fields, and over the roads to your
homes. We must be thankful that we have not encountered any powerful and
damaging storms and I hope we do not, but to all of you out there forced to
deal with the excess rain and standing water our hearts go out to you. If
you would like to share your life changing water stories we would love to
hear from you on our
62644.com FaceBook Page.
June 24, 2010
These
Original Giclée Art Prints...will
be available at silent auction over a two day festival at
Sheridan Lane's
Restaurant this Friday and Saturday.
Profits from the sale of these prints will be donated to the
iDuck Network.
The auction will end and the winning bidders declared
at 7:00pm Saturday...
As many of you know the very popular iDuck Network Program started at
the HJHS in February of this year, it became an instant hit and a very
successful educational program. This coming fall those first iDuck Team
Members will move to the Havana High School and begin a new program
there with the Jr. High Program continuing there with new members. I am
proud to say that I was able to help start this program in a small way
and will continue to support this worthy project.
I have
selected four images from my files of local original photographs and with
the expertise and help of a world-famous Certified Master Printer created
four beautiful pieces of original artwork using the Giclée Art Archival
printing process. These prints are one of a kind and signed “1 of 1”
certifying them as original works of art. Each print comes with a
Certificate of Authenticity and all original images were captured in the
Havana area; “Snowy Lane” just South of Havana, “Spoon” just West of the
intersection of Spoon River and the Illinois River, “Summer Nights” on the
Illinois River at RiverFront Park, and “Spring” inside a local floral
greenhouse.
"Please
join us this weekend for a celebration of summer and wine. Here at Sheridan
Lane Restaurant & Lounge we will be enjoying great food, wine, and
entertainment this Friday Night and Saturday All Day."
Friday Night 6/25/10:
Dine while enjoying Josh Skaja playing guitar from 7pm - close.
Saturday Schedule 6/26/10: 11-2 Lunch, Wine Flights, John Rodriguez & Co. playing
integrated violin and guitar mixes
4-6 Flights & Todd Baldwin & Co. playing local favorites.
6:30 - 9:30 Wine Pairing Dinner featuring the "Best of" our first 5 wine
pairing dinners
9:30-Close Todd Baldwin & Co. Continues.
Please join us for great fun with all us here at
Sheridan Lane Restaurant & Lounge! Call today to reserve a spot in the wine
pairing dinner! 309. 546. 2741
What is a Giclée art print?…The
Giclée printing technique is now the State of the Art process for producing
oil painting reproductions. Giclée prints in limited editions are
appreciated by fine art collectors and connoisseurs. Limited edition, museum
quality reproductions are included in the collections of many of the worlds
finest museums, including the Louvre, the Smithsonian, the New York
Metropolitan Museum and the British Museum. The Giclée printing process is a
high tech method of printing which can generate prints of digital images of
unrivaled quality.
June 25, 2010
Another Foot to go...The
experts
are calling for the river to crest at 21.9 an these two photos were taken at
about 21 feet. Today you could literally see the water rising which created
some new fishing techniques, going out and enjoying a wade in the park, and
enjoying a really great day of cool temperatures, low humidity and a
beautiful sky. The Havana Park District is not only fighting flooding issues
at the river but also at Veterans Park. As many of you know I receive
regular reports on Park District News. With all they have going on at this
time you might find their report interesting. Just click this link
PARK NEWS.
June 26, 2010
Sparklers and
Firecrackers...The
4th wouldn't be the same without them and in Havana the Havana Women of
Today's Pageant to name Lil Miss Sparkler and Mr. Firecracker is a tradition
also. Entries are not closed and anyone meeting the requirements can still
enter by calling Lori Smith at
309-338-0473 for more information.
The current entrants are: Zaden
Cooper, age 4, son of Bob and Stacey Cooper of Havana, and sponsored by
Havana Paddlewheel.
Kaden Hurst, age 4, son of Alex and Rachelle Hurst of Havana,
and sponsored by Havana Pet Cabana. Jacob Van
Huynh, age 4, son of Chrissy Huynh of Havana, and sponsored by Thornton's.Dylan
Harris, age 5, son of Holly Kolves and Jonathon Harris of Havana, and
sponsored by FS Country Plaza. Dylan M. Daniels, age 4, son of Rob and
Heather Daniels of Havana, and sponsored by Vance Trucking.Jillian
Leonard, age 5, daughter of Chad and Emily Leonard of Havana, and sponsored
by Apple Ducklings Pre-School. Lauren Curless, age 5, daughter of Joseph and
Meghan Curless of Havana, and sponsored by Curless Flying Service, Inc.Kaylee
Akers, age 5, daughter of Travis Akers and Becky Sherwood of Havana, and
sponsored by Hair Studio Spa & Fitness. Bryleigh Morris, age 4, daughter of
Justin and Trista Morris and sponsored by Stevens Implement. Kaitlyn Marie
Robison, age 5, daughter of Troy Robison and Jennifer Robison of Havana,
and sponsored by Robert Powers. Elizabeth Waymire, age 5, daughter of Jake
Waymire and Amber Canamore of Havana, and sponsored by Central Illinois
Irrigation. Lauren Elizabeth Nall, age 4, daughter of Clay and Tiki Nall of
Kilbourne, and sponsored by Kilbourne Southside Sand. Alexis “Lexi” Arianna
Nall, age 4, daughter of Clay and Tiki Nall of Kilbourne, and sponsored by
Kilbourne Rod Shop.
June 27, 2010
More Water in Havana!!!...Well
yes, but this is a little different. Saturday morning brought Mason City
folks to Havana for a swim meet against our Havana Park District Swim Teams.
Now, I have to admit and apologize because competitive swimming is something
that I know very little about. Of course I know who Michael Phelps and Mark
Spitz are and that who ever beats everyone else to the other end of the pool
without having their feet on the bottom of the pool wins. I also remember
spending a lot of time in the water when I was these kid's age but don't
ever remember having a race in the pool, lake, or river without a boat or
seeing a big snake. So again, I have to say I am sorry for not knowing more,
but just ask anyone who was there swimming in the free style, backstroke,
butterfly catching thing and they will tell you all about it.
Hey, it's the "Shot" of the day not the "Story" of the day.
☻
June 28, 2010
The Ducks Golf
Tournament...Was
held on Saturday with teams at the Lakewood Golf Course T's at 8am and 12
Noon with all proceeds going directly to the Havana Ducks Football Program.
This years tournament spawned a great new Sports Clinic from
former Duck, Luke Clark. As you can see this first clinic is not about the
drive off the T, as this one appears to be straight down the middle. The
first topic of the new clinic is fairway play as illustrated by the smaller
photos inserted above. The fairway irons, it seems have a much smaller
hitting surface than these new "big bubba" type drivers, so fairway play
does require different abilities and strategies. When approaching the green
with a 9 iron, the loft on the ball is important...however more than 2 feet
high and some forward momentum is the ideal result of the approach swing. It
is not uncommon to see golfers in this situation use the option of throwing
the ball, but Luke now recommends that if you resort to the use of this
option to throw the ball in the direction of the hole and not the T. As a
parting shot, Luke wanted all of us to know that there is more than one way
to achieve both loft and distance with a 9 iron as seen above. All of the
local golf courses have promised me they will give me a call the next time
Luke hits the links for installment #2 of the Sports Clinic. And BTW, thanks
Luke, you are a great sport
and a great competitor. Your great sports efforts at HHS will be
long-remembered just like your always great sportsmanship.
While balls were
flying on the golf course, along with a few clubs
too, Madison 221 was setting up their equipment at Sheridan Lane's
Restaurant for their gig during the Wine Fest. The trek down from Chicago is
always fun for this group of really great guys who can really rock the house
with three guitars and a set of drums. It was a great first set, the dinning
room was packed for the Wine Paring special 7 course dinner, and then it was
Madison 221's turn to take back the night.
So
"CRANK IT" and click the photo to see two videos of this great group warming
up.
Speaking
of some great music...Tracy has chosen two
Norah Jones songs to get your week started of on the right foot. So take
a listen to "Come
Away With Me" and
"Turn Me On"
.
June 29, 2010
THE National Bank...in
Havana
has been kind enough to display the four Giclée prints which are offered for
sale to benefit the Havana School District iDuck Network Program. These fine
art prints are now on display in the bank lobby. As
many of you know the very popular iDuck Network Program started at the HJHS
in February of this year, it became an instant hit and a very successful
educational program. This coming fall those first iDuck Team Members will
move to the Havana High School and begin a new program there with the Jr.
High Program continuing there with new members. I am proud to say that I was
able to help start this program in a small way and will continue to support
this worthy project.
I
have selected four images from my files of local original photographs
and with the expertise and help of a world-famous Certified Master
Printer created four beautiful pieces of original artwork using the
Giclée Art Archival printing process. These prints are one of a kind and
signed “1 of 1” certifying them as original works of art. Each print
comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and all original images were
captured in the Havana area; “Snowy Lane” just South of Havana, “Spoon”
just West of the intersection of Spoon River and the Illinois River,
“Summer Nights” on the Illinois River at RiverFront Park, and “Spring”
inside a local floral greenhouse.
Please take a moment and stop by THE National Bank and take a look at these
amazing prints which you will normally only find in fine art galleries or
museums. Also, while you are there ask one of the bank's personnel about
their FREE checking. Totally Free Checking from THE National Bank, you get
more. More value. More flexibility. More control. All with NO monthly
services charges, NO per check fees, and NO minimum monthly balance
requirements. And, with three other checking plans in the product family,
you also get more variety. Open
any new checking account and get a
free gift! They are currently
offering a Picnic Sling Bag Set for 2. You will love the gift and the great
service. To visit their website
CLICK HERE .
Your child must be 4 years of age prior to July 4th of this year.
This pageant is for 4 and 5 year olds. If your child turns 6 prior to July 4th
they are ineligible to participate in the pageant. You must have a sponsor
for your child. If you have trouble finding one please contact me and I will
assist you in any way I can. Your application must be returned to me along
with and $20 entry fee and a photo of your child NO LATER than June 24th
at noon. If your application is later than this your child may not get their
photo and entry submitted to the newspaper and other media on time. 
challenge for me personally, but it has been a good challenge. The photo
above, shot last night at the Nature Center, is actually only a few yards
away from the very spot where the first one was taken a year ago so some
might think we haven't come far at all in the past year...I think of it more
as a full circle. Doing this feature has definitely been a challenge but I
have really enjoyed doing it and look forward to the next year of this
feature beginning today. My goal for this new year is to shoot more than
last year as there were a few times I had to miss a new shot and leave the
previous day's shot up, but I'm working on that one. I would like to thank
all the visitors who have taken the time to send comments about the feature
and especially about their favorites. That feedback helps me determine what
I will be doing more of in the feature, so please do not hesitate to drop me
a note either on the website
FaceBook Page
or at
crtrc1@aol.com,
they are greatly appreciated. You just never know when you may become the
next Shot of the Day, so don't forget to check it out every day. Should you
miss some you can use the links below to check out what's been going on.
