Local Notes: Disabled veterans' free hunting and fishing licenses available now

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Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs Acting Director L. Tammy Duckworth has announced that the annual free hunting and fishing licenses for disabled veterans are available now. IDVA is reminding disabled veterans that the 2006 Illinois issued hunting and fishing license will expire on March 31. Disabled veterans must visit one of the state's 51 Veteran Service offices to renew or obtain the free hunting and fishing license. The licenses will not be mailed out. Local offices are city hall, Princeton; Carroll County Courthouse, Mount Carroll; Ogle County Senior Center, Oregon; Rochelle VFW; and Illinois National Guard Armory, Rock Falls. A full list of the state's Veteran Service offices can be found on IDVA's Web site at www.state.il.us/agency/dva or by calling (800) 437-9824. Free screening Prophetstown Elementary School will offer a free screening for Prophetstown and Lyndon preschool/kindergarten children ages 3-5 from 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 30 at the Congregational Church, Prophetstown. The Bi-County Special Education Office provides the first screening. This screening is for children birth to 3 years of age. The Prophetstown Elementary staff will provide the second screening. This screening is for children 3 to 5 years of age. To be screened, the child must be 3 on or before March 30. There will be another screening in May. Appointments are recommended, but walk-ins are welcome, however appointments will be scheduled for the next available time slot. Call the Prophetstown Elementary at (815) 537-2345 between 7:45 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. to schedule a screening appointment for either the March screening or May screening and for further information. Conference helps with family histories The Lee County Genealogical Society will be presenting a conference from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. April 21 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish Center, Sublette. Presentations will be given on "Using Railroad Records in Family History Research," "DNA Researching," "Genealogical Research in Newspapers," "Restoring Photographs to Use in Genealogy" and "What is Available Locally." Advance reservations are $25 for Lee County Genealogy members and $30 for non-members until March 31. Tickets after that date will be $35 for everyone. Lunches will be available for advance reservations, possible for walk-ins. Vendors will be present with items for sale. Directions will be included with tickets. For more information, call the Lee County Genealogical Society office in Dixon at (815) 288-6702; hours are: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays. Additional information call be obtained by e-mail at irishar@hot mail.com. Bus trip Byron Park District will sponsor a Chicago Cubs vs. the Houston Astros bus trip April 11. The trip is open to anyone 21 years old or older. The bus will leave Byron High School North Parking Lot at 9 a.m. and will return immediately after the game. Game time is 1:20 p.m. The fee, $50 per person, includes motor coach transportation and bleacher seats. Register early; tickets go fast. For more information, call Byron Park District at (815) 234-8435. Adult education Whiteside Area Career Center, Sterling, is presenting an adult education class, Certified Nurse's Aide on April 4. Upon completion of the state required minimum 120 hours, those attending will be eligible to take the state exam to become a Certified Nurse Aide. Classes will run from April 4 through May 26. Lectures are from 4 to 9 p.m. and clinicals are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call for a listing of dates for the lectures and clinicals at (815) 626-5810. Science Siesta Girls in fourth through sixth grades are invited to attend the sixth annual Science Siesta event May 11-12 at the Discovery Center and Burpee Natural History Museums, Rockford. This action-packed overnight will combine the fun of a pajama party with hands-on science experiences. The University of Illinois Extension is sponsoring this event. Science Siesta is based on the Wonderwise curriculum developed by the University of Nebraska. This curriculum highlights the work of female scientists and then translates their work into hands-on science activities that are fun and engaging. Participating girls may choose from three workshop tracks for breakout sessions. The first track will feature a rain forest ecologist and will explore the world of poisonous frogs in the Amazon. The second track will feature a genetic counselor and address how traits are passed from generation to generation. The third track will feature a space geologist and consider what asteroids 65 million years ago had to do with the dinosaurs becoming extinct. Girls also will have the chance to meet actual female scientists from throughout northern Illinois. The scientists will share information about their careers and involve the girls in activities to demonstrate what they do every day. Science Siesta will begin at 5 p.m. May 11 with registration and conclude at 8:30 a.m. on May 12. The registration fee of $30 includes pizza, snack, breakfast, T-shirt, admission to the Discovery Center Museum and Burpee Museum of Natural History and other activities. For additional information, including a program brochure or registration packet, call (815) 732-2191. Information about the siesta can be found on the Web at: web.exten sion.uiuc.edu/RockfordCenter/ScienceSiesta. Registration for this event fills up very quickly, participation is limited to the first 160 girls. Registration will close by April 13. College scholarships The Whiteside County Natural Area Guardians, a committee of the Soil and Water Conservation District, will award two $500 scholarships to college students who are pursuing a degree in the area of conservation or an environmentally-related field. The scholarships are available for the student's junior or senior years at an institution of higher learning. First consideration is given to students who reside in Whiteside County. Applications are available at the SWCD office, USDA Building, 16270 Liberty St., Morrison, IL 61270. More information may be obtained by calling (815) 772-2124, ext. 3. Completed applications are due by May 1 and should be sent to: Scholarship Committee, Natural Area Guardians, c/o Carolyn Keller, 1716 W. Fourth St., Sterling, IL 61081-3125. Dillon School Dillon School Kindergarten Round-Up for the 2007-2008 school year will be at 6 p.m. April 19 in the Dillon School gymnasium. This is for all children who will be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1 and who are Rock Falls District 13 residents. For more information, call the school at (815) 625-3356.