It won't be a quick harvest in central Illinois, but it looks to be a productive one, note area ag observers.

The author of "Energy Victory" relates the present economic crisis with oil - not home loans. Robert Zubrin, the kickoff speaker at the Illinois Commodity Conference in Bloomington next month, believes America's dependence on oil is responsible for the sliding economy.

Portion size is one thing. Serving size can be quite another. Then, of course, there’s super size. It’s no wonder Americans are confused about what’s healthy when it comes to how much they should be eating. Controlling portion size is one of the easiest and most effective ways to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, but it helps to know what a serving size is to make it work.

Heidi Yaw learned to trust her instincts after her first son was born prematurely in 2005. She delivered Noah, who weighed 1 pound, 12 ounces and measured 13 inches long, at about 25 weeks gestation. Noah responded to treatment at first but died in a neonatal intensive care unit about two weeks later. That was where Yaw learned about the March of Dimes’ work for premature babies and decided to help.

Bill Cassell spent all of last Wednesday morning hunched over a workbench in his cellar.

It’s hard to imagine that Jim McCormick of Galesburg was, as he said, “down in the dumps,” one morning of the Knox County Scenic Drive. McCormick, owner of Rag Rugs, laughed often as he described the throw rugs he makes on a loom.

For at least a decade, Rock Valley College has taught educators and health-care workers Spanish to use on the job. But these days, demand is growing. And RVC has added classes for bankers, manufacturers, police officers, firefighters and others. The college has even sent teachers to companies for special classes.

Any real estate development faces risk. But being one of the first to plant a shovel in an untested market carries its own special brand of chance.

In a typical year, the holiday season is hopping for Kiki and Paul Benson, owners of Kiki B’s restaurant and A Movable Feast catering. Like many in America, Kiki Benson expects this holiday season to anything but typical.

October usually means a few weeks of brisk sales for sellers of sports merchandise. But add three teams within about 90 miles of Rockford to the mix, and it promised to be a great run for baseball fans and retailers alike.

The view from southwest Adams Street does not do justice to the towering pile of scrap at A. Miller & Company. The family-owned company is a rarity in a scrap metal business that has been taken over by corporations.

In these days of rising costs and expanding waistlines, the old standby brown bag lunch can be a handy answer to both problems.

Sabrina Schultz of Galena belongs to Females In Need of Empowerment, a young widows’ group formed in April. At 25, Schultz now provides and cares for her 15-month-old son, Logan, alone. The pain of loss remains fresh for her. Her husband, David Schultz, a U.S. Army captain, was deployed to Iraq June 8, and their son was born nine days later – on Father’s Day.

Even after three strokes affecting his left side, Bob Clements believes he has suitable balance for daily activities. The 62-year-old negotiates stairs, avoids two dogs and three cats that often dart under his feet, and does all of his household chores.

Kathy Downing believed her husband, the late four-star Gen. Wayne A. Downing, was in Valhalla - the great hall where dead heroes go in Norse mythology - looking down smiling and laughing on Friday.