By Tim Dempsey

 

President Schoeneman rang the bell, Tom Zengeler gave the Pledge, and Bill Taranowski led us in prayer. There was no song.

 

-Bill Taranowski’s youngest is now a freshman at LHS.

 

-Patricia Bleck just returned from a trip to Sedona.

 

-Scott Adams celebrated his fourth Rotary anniversary on 4/15.

 

-Vocational Chair Scott Hezner told us that we will be awarding $9850 in vocational scholarships this year.

 

-Highway cleanup is scheduled for 4/23 at Sunset Foods.

 

-The electronics recycling event is on for 4/30 at Sunset Foods. We still need volunteers.

 

-Bill Rickert is looking for nominations for the Service Above Self Award.

 

-Stu Howe, founding member of our Club passed away. Service is 5/4 in Elgin.

 

-Scott Hezner announced that our first candidate has been selected by the District for a scholarship. Next week there is an awards breakfast at LHS to award all our scholarship winners.

 

-There will be a District training program for officers and directors on 5/7.

 

-The District Conference will be held May 20 to May 22 at the Grand Geneva in Lake

 

Geneva. The Golf Outing is Friday 5/20. Cost is $125.

 

Elliot Pinsel entertained us with musical trivia from the 70’s and 80’s.

 

Today’s program was Congressman Brad Schneider from the 10^th District. Brad is in his fourth term and serves on the Ways & Means Committee and the foreign Affairs Committee. He is a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus. He listed a strengthened NATO, The Cares Act, and the American Rescue Plan as accomplishments of the current administration and Congress. The Cares Act provided PPP loans for small businesses and funding for first responders. The American Rescue Plan provided vaccines like this administered at the Fair Grounds. He stated that GDP is up 5.7% and 8 million jobs have been created with unemployment decreasing by 50%.

 

Wages have increased by 5.6% but inflation is a global challenge. We have supply chain problems. The U.S. is used to “just in time” inventory availability but the chain broke. There is a chip crisis. He stated that there is $9 billion for roads, $4 billion for mass transit, and money to repair 1.4 million bridges in the infrastructure bill. He cited money to improve broadband in North Chicago and replace lead pipes in Illinois. He said there is $52 billion in the Chips Act to build more computer chips in the U.S. We currently produce only 12% of the chips we use. Intel is spending $20 billion on a new chip plant in Ohio. People have “distance anxiety” with electric cars. The Green Act will provide charging stations around the Country.

 

He helped introduce legislation to fix the immigration problem 10 years ago. It never got passed. He thinks Title 42 will be removed and there is no plan to replace it to secure the border. He favors increasing U.S. energy production, but pipelines need to be safe. He believes in climate change and says we need to replace Russian energy with U.S. resources. We will not be off fossil fuels in the next decade. Nuclear power and hydrogen may be long term solutions.

 

-Daily: $30 won by Steve Risley.

 

-Progressive: $340. 43 cards. Rick Mittelman drew the 10 of diamonds. Rollover!

 

NEXT WEEK:

-Greeter & Prayer: Tom Stanczyk

 

-Fun & Frolics & Bingo: Dave Potts

 

-Program: Donna Gully from Shelter Box USA

 

“Patience and Fortitude” – Fiorello LaGuardia