President Barack Obama signed the Grassroots Rural and Small Community Water Systems Assistance Act, S. 611, into law last month, making it easier for small, rural communities to get assistance in maintaining drinking water quality.andnbsp;

The law is a companion to H.R. 2853 and passed unanimously in the House of Representatives. It will help communities that would otherwise struggle to meet the technical and financial requirements of maintaining drinking water systems.andnbsp;

Attention Beef Producers and Friends of the Beef Industry:

You’re invited to an Open House to be held Saturday, December 12th for the Dean Family – Rick, Barb andamp; Derek Dean and Randy, Chris andamp; Brack Dean.

The event will be from 11:00 AM until 2:30 PM with a Ribbon Cutting ceremony at 11:00 AM.

This will be a unique opportunity to tour a NEW dry pack monoslope cow barn AND a deep-pit gable cattle finishing barn at the same time. See the latest products and technologies for cattle comfort and environmental stewardship.

Beef industry representatives will be on hand to discuss the benefits of indoor cattle production:

• Improve cattle health

• Optimize feed efficiency and rate of gain

• Improve operating efficiency by reducing labor cost

A FREE ribeye/hamburger lunch will be provided.

The farm is located at 19250 Prairie Chapel Road, Farmer City, IL.

Directions: I -74 Exit 152 (Rt. 136) go west towards Heyworth.andnbsp; Turn Left on 2700 East Rd,andnbsp;go South 3 miles, then turn Right on Prairie Chapel Rd, go 1.75 miles West. The farm is on the right-hand (north) side of road.

For more information about the event contact Rick Dean at (309) 838-9300 or [email protected].

The event is being sponsored by: Longhorn Cattle andamp; Swine Confinement, IL Beef Association andamp;

IL Beef Checkoff, Maurer-Stutz, Roll-O-Matic Curtains, Custom Precast Company, Animat Rubber Flooring, Bloomington Meats, McLean Co. Beef Producers.

The event is being coordinated by Maiers Ag Consulting.

Don’t miss this great opportunity to see a NEW cow barn and cattle finishing barn at the same time and network with other beef producers and beef industry representatives. andnbsp;

We are pleased to have been selected by the Illinois Department of Transportation to work on Phases I and II of the Pinecrest Drive Bridge Replacement over Interstate 74 in East Peoria.

The current bridge is almost 60 years old and is both structurally and geometrically deficient. We are teaming with Prairie Engineers of Illinois, Kaskaskia Engineering Group and Fuhrmann Engineering to perform this work.

Our surveying group has found a lot of cool monuments out there. andnbsp;The folks at Atlas Obscura explain the monuments that define Manhattan’s 200 year old grid system and how they continue to work today.