Bald Eagle watchers return to Starved Rock

Take a ride along the Illinois River and there’s a good chance you’ll notice a bald eagle or two perched in a tree.

It’s the annual Bald Eagle Watch Weekend at the Illinois Waterway Visitor’s Center at Starved Rock.  You can watch live eagle programs at noon, 2pm, and 4pm.  Admission is free though you’ll need to get tickets at the front desk.  There will also be activities at the lodge.

Greater deer harvests for Putnam and La Salle Counties

Putnam County saw the biggest jump this past year in the number of deer killed during hunting season.

          According to the DNR, over 1100 deer were brought down in Putnam County during the 2009-2010 hunting seasons that ended last Sunday.  Last year the total deer count was under 1000.

          La Salle County hunters brought down just under three thousand deer this past season, compared to 2800 last season. 

          Bureau County’s deer harvest was over 2700 this season, nearly the same as the year before.

Dahl says scholarship funds could be better spent

Pointing to the state’s large deficit, State Senator Gary Dahl says he’s ending participation with the General Assembly scholarship program.

          In a letter to area schools, Dahl says “freeing up the $12.5 million spent on the scholarship program won’t automatically solve the budget shortfall, but it’s a step closer to closing the gap”.  He says it’s important to free up funding for pressing priorities like services for  people with disabilities and reducing the backlog of unpaid bills.

          Dahl says the program doesn’t reimburse universities which means higher tuition for students not getting the scholarships.