Rich Gurka — The Villagers Voice

Rich Gurka: China is Winning

August 25, 2022 by Villagers Voice

U.S. overdose deaths from opioids, primarily fentanyl, numbered approximately 68,630 in 2020, 80,816 in 2021. Will that number exceed 100,000 in 2022? (Source: Center for Disease Control)

Full disclosure: I have had three family members die from drug usage; two from fentanyl overdoses; one from AIDS associated with being a needle sharing heroin user (who probably was a ‘switch hitter’ too). I didn’t have much sympathy. There is a reason getting drugged up is called “doing dope”. For perspective, the total number of U.S casualties from the entire Vietnam War currently stands at 58,220. [Read more...]

Rich Gurka: Deer hunting law amended and a stolen rifle

June 2, 2022 by Villagers Voice

Some recent IDNR issues:

1, Pritzker signs “Deer Rifle Hunting” Bill. Bill Number HB4386. Allows the use of a single shot centerfire rifle to harvest deer during the firearm open season set by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Adds that it is unlawful to possess or be in proximity to non-centerfire or non-single shot rifles while deer hunting. Effective January 01, 2023. [Read more...]

Rich Gurka: Seven Mile Lake – Almost

May 20, 2022 by Villagers Voice

Many local folks are unaware or simply do not remember that back in the 1960’s, there were plans to create a flood control lake in White County, just north of Norris City. This lake was to be located approximately two miles south of the "Enfield Intersection". [Read more...]

Rich Gurka – Email Address NOT Required

April 20, 2022 by Villagers Voice

By Rich Gurka

I recently applied for my 2022 Illinois deer permits the old fashioned way, by obtaining a paper application, filling it out and mailing a personal check. I discovered that now the IDNR is again ‘mining’ more personal information from an applicant.
A box on the application states “APPLICANT’S EMAIL ADDRESS (Required)”.

Enough is enough. [Read more...]

Rich Gurka: $5.00 per gallon of gasoline is a bargain.

March 16, 2022 by Villagers Voice

The other day I fueled up my truck at a convenience store. Gasoline price for E10-unleaded was $3.89 per gallon. The total of taxes on that gallon is around $.77 cents. In the store cooler I observed several varieties of bottled water, the least expensive of which was $.89 for a 16 oz. bottle, without tax. That equals $7.12 per gallon of water, without tax. [Read more...]

Opinion: “If God had not meant for them to be sheared…”

February 11, 2022 by Villagers Voice

Submitted by Rich Gurka

While spending time in Western Kentucky due to recent weather events, we were lucky to once again watch one of my favorite movies, the 1960 version of “The Magnificent Seven”. Most of you have probably seen it too.

In the movie, “Caldera”, (Eli Wallach) the leader of a band of thugs, regularly leads his band of outlaws into a small Mexican town to take most, but not all, of the provisions of the town inhabitants, a group of cowardly farmers and shop owners.

Eventually, town representatives hire a group of seven American ‘good guys’ to lead the town in their fight against Caldera and his thugs. [Read more...]

Rich Gurka – Republican earthquake and other news bits

November 11, 2021 by Villagers Voice

Let’s go Brandon.
1. The Virginia Governor’s election was won by REPUBLICAN Glenn Youngkin. Incumbent Terry McAuliffe stupidly said during a September debate “I don’t think that parents should be telling schools what to teach.”. That my friends is how “woke” Democrats think. School Boards across the country had better wake up. Adolf Hitler had the same opinion regarding the indoctrination of German children. [Read more...]

Rich Gurka: My Body, My Choice

October 28, 2021 by Villagers Voice

No more venison for me, for now.

Viral diseases in deer, both epizootic hemorrhagic disease and bluetongue disease, chronic wasting disease, and now confirmed cases of the Covid-19 virus being found in deer have made me decide to no longer eat any venison or venison products.

We all know that, just like people, deer get all kinds of diseases, cancers, etc. That’s nature of course, NOT ‘global climate change’. Heck, I’m sure that domestic cattle and fowl being raised in crowded feedlots, fed artificial chemicals and steroids to raise their weight probably get more illnesses that deer do. You don’t hear much about that, do you, other than an occasional article about ‘avian (bird) flu”, causing massive exterminations of domestic herds of fowl. If you wish to continue to deer hunt and eat venison, fine. That’s up to you. [Read more...]