Brenda Carus

If you are starting to think of renewable energy sources for your home or business, start the easy way. Instead of jumping straight into solar panels or wind turbines, take a look at your electricity provider.

If you get your electricity from Alliant Energy, sign up for their Second Nature program.

When you enroll in Second Nature, you are doing your part to encourage the growth of renewable energy sectors. If you use X kilowatt hours a month, Alliant will purchase at least X kilowatt hours from renewable energy sources.

There is a surcharge on your electrical bill for the program. In our family, it amounts to about $15 per month. Alliant does offer the choice of particiapting at different levels too. You can commit to have 100% of your electricity come from green sources, or you can select the 50% or 25% level, whatever fits with your budget. This is not an all or nothing thing. Every little bit helps, so do what works for you.

Take the time to look into the personal renewable energy systems, but until you are able to get those installed, at least you can know that you are doing your part to lower your fossil fuel impact as well as create demand for renewable energy right now.

Up, down, down some more, up a little, down a little. Interest rates have been zigzagging in recent months.

One thing is for certain, these current levels are historically low.

Mortgage interest rates are based off of prime rate. Looking at the history of prime, going back to 1947, is amazing. Prime has flucuated from 1.75 to 21.5. Take a look at the figures in that chart. The levels we saw in recent months are incredibly and buck the historical averages. As of June 1, prime was 3.25. This is a level we saw in December 2008 for the first time in 54 years.

If you are waiting for the housing market to hit bottom and interest rates to drop before taking the plunge to getting your mortgage, it is a risk. Looking at history, we are in a golden period right now. The period after WWII had issues that kept prime low, and the Fed is taking action right now to keep prime low too.

How long will it last? You'd need a crystal ball to know for sure. Some people are waiting to buy houses until the prices drop a little lower, closer to hitting bottom. This is a gamble that could end up costing thousands due to the interest rates.

Say buyers are looking at a $135,000 home (median for Green County). They are unsure of when to buy.

• If they would have bought when the mortgage rates were 4.75%, they would pay $118,522 of interest over the course of a 30 year loan.
  
• If they purchase when the mortgage rates are 5.5%, they will pay $140,942 in interest.
  
• If they purchase when the mortgage rates are 6.25% (still considered a great rate just a decade ago), they will pay $164,237 in interest.
  

What happens if they wait to purchase, hoping prices drop? If that $135,000 drops to $130,000, but the interest rates don't drop back down to the 4.75% levels, what happens?

• They will pay $128,422 in interest if their mortgage is at a 5.25% rate.
  
• They pay $135,722 in interest if their mortgage rate is 5.5%.
  
• They pay $158,157 in interest with a 6.25% rate.

We do know from looking at history that these super-low rates will not last. We know that the government is working to keep rates low for a while, but how low and for how long, no one knows. The only thing I know for certain is that if a buyer is waiting for prices to drop "just a little more", but the interest rates bump up even .5%, they will cost themselves thousands of dollars in the long run.

Fiire up the flash bulbs! The Monroe Arts Center is sponsoring the 20th Annual Photography Contest and Exhibit.

This popular contest draws on the best of our local talent and culminates in an exhibit in Frehner Gallery at MAC throughout September. Who will take home the grand prize this year?

There are three classifications:

• Junior, for youth under age 18
  
• Beginner, for people who have no formal training and/or minimal experience
  
• Advanced, for people who have experience, training or who have been published.
  

Everyone may enter up to two photographs. All entries must be framed suitably for exhibit at MAC. Sizes must be between 8x10" and 16x20". All photographs must have been taken after January 1 of 2008. The entry fee is $20 per person, and the deadline for submission is August 14. For an entry form or for more details, contact MAC at 325-5700 or visit their website.

There are a number of categories this year:

• Black and white
  
• Landscape
  
• People
  
• Buildings
  
• Unclassified
  
• Mixed media
  
• Reflections (using mirrors, water, glass, etc)

All local photogs are welcome to participate. The competition can be stiff, as we have some very talented photographers around the area. Do you have what it takes to enter? I've been toying with entering the beginner class myself this year.

beep, beep, beep* That is going to be the summer soundtrack for Monroe's Downtown Square this year as the construction crews get to work.

You don't quite need to bring your own hard hat, but do prepare for a few extra minutes when heading downtown. Look out for the signs indicating which side of the square is closed for construction, and beware the sidewalks that are being redone.

If you want to plan before heading Downtown, visit Monroe Main street's website for a map of the current traffic flow routes. Pop by the Under Construction Gallery for photographs of the current work if you are curious and can't make it downtown.

Downtown is far from shut down just because of a few traffic cones and a little dust. Stores and restaurants are still open for business. The farmer's market is still being held on the Square on Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. The Concerts on the Square are still on. The next one is this Thursday as a matter of fact.

You might have to park a little farther away from your destination or take a slightly different route for a little while, but the end results will be worth it. Main Street is coordinating a streetscaping project to redo the look of our downtown, making it much more welcoming and pedestrian friendly. At the same time, the City is completing underground work that truly needs to be done. The old coal bins under the sidewalks are being filled in, plus the water and sewer lines are being redone and modernized, a very postponed job.

Kudos to the City of Monroe and Monroe Main Street for using almost exclusively local contractors for this job. Only one part is going to a non-local business, and I heard through the grapevine that this is because the local contractor was booked. In our current economy, it is so important to keep things local.

Keeping things local is also why we need to keep shopping our Downtown in spite of a little dust and inconvenience. I want to be sure that my favorites weather out this construction with minimal impact so that they are here for me next fall, next year too.

What's shaking, bacon? There is a lot

~ Sign the kids up for free junior golf lessons at the Monroe County Club. All kids 13 and under are eligible for a free lesson to introduce them to golf. Call the Pro Shop at 325-3159 to register. I just spoke with them to sign up our children a little bit ago, and there are plenty of open slots still.

~ Don't forget the traditional balloon glow at the Fairgrounds this Friday and Saturday evening. All the festivities for the balloon rally take place over there this weekend, and walk-in admission is free.

~ Laugh away at the antics of Felix and Oscar in Monroe Theatre Guild's production of The Odd Couple. There will be shows on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, along with next weekend as well. Tickets are $10 for member, $12 for non-members. You can purchase them at the box office in the STAGE building or at the door.

~ There is a new exhibit opening up at Frehner Gallery at the Monroe Arts Center. Reality3 features three artists from the Momentum Art Guild of Northwest Illinois. This is a multi-media exhibit featuring watercolor, pencil, acrylics and digital photographic compositions. The opening reception is at MAC on Thursday from 5 until 7 pm, and the artists will be on hand to talk with during the reception.

~ UW Alums! Come to Toffler's in New Glarus on Thursday from 6 until 8 pm for a special Alumni Happy Hour. I'm not sure that I'll be able to be there (the art opening is calling my name), but go big red! Come back to Tofflers on Saturday evening after 8 for live music. The featured act this week is acoustic rock with Mark Croft and violinist Julia McConahay.

~ Manny B is playing at Baumgartner's on Saturday evening. Manny does a great show and plays a mean guitar. Stop on in for an evening of camaraderie, good drinks and a good time.

~ The FHN summer family movie at Lindo Theater in Freeport for this Saturday is "Imagine That." Showtime is 10 am; $3 per person.

~ June means strawberries, at least to seasonal food-focused people like myself. Have you gone picking yet? The grocery store version can't hold a candle to a freshly picked, perfectly ripe berry. Christianson's Farm just south of Monroe is open for picking. Pick your own for $2 per quart of Honeoye, or pick up pre-picked berries for $4 per quart. They are at the Farmers Market too. Margharita does not spray her berries with chemicals.

~ Take dad to the Lions Park in Lena on Saturday or Sunday for a game of family mini-golf. Parents play free when the whole family plays together ($3 for kids).