Monday, December 7, 2009

Debris from Belvidere plant blast kills man over a mile away

 

mayor said it was "pretty amazing" there were no other reported injuries at the plant, which he said was "very automated. There probably would not be a lot of employees on the premises."

The investigation into the cause of the blast is ongoing, the mayor said, and is being looked into by the Illinois State Fire Marshal, and the Belvidere Police and Fire departments.

Click on the following for the rest of the story:  Debris from Belvidere plant blast kills man over a mile away :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Metro & Tri-State

Illinois high-speed rail deal in the works

State transportation officials have applied for more than $4 billion in federal stimulus funds to upgrade Amtrak service between Chicago and St. Louis

the money would help add an extra set of tracks to the Union Pacific line that runs between Chicago and St. Louis and includes stops in Dwight, Pontiac, Normal, Lincoln and Springfield. In addition to allowing Amtrak trains to travel at higher speeds, Union Pacific says the upgrades may allow them to boost the number of freight trains on the route to as many as 20 per day.

A decision from the federal government on which states will be funded is expected to come within the first three months of 2010.

Click on the following for more details:  Illinois high-speed rail deal in the works

Injuries, apparent explosion at NDK plant – Belvidere, Il

1 killed at oasis after apparent NDK blast--A person standing in a nearby parking lot was hit by flying debris and killed after an apparent explosion at the NDK plant at Crystal Parkway and U.S. 20

Police confirmed that the accident resulted in injuries, but the number and extent of injuries is not known.

The tall, 55,000-square-foot building visible from Interstate 90 opened in 2003 at a cost of $12.5 million. It houses NDK Crystal and NDK America, and serves as the North American headquarters for their Japan-based parent company, Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co. Ltd.

Woman injured
In addition to the death of Greenfield, a woman at nearby Grupo Antolin Illinois Inc., 642 Crystal Parkway, a manufacturer of automobile interior parts and components, also was injured.
“She was thrown some distance, but she was treated at the scene and released,”

Click on the following for more information:  Injuries, apparent explosion at NDK plant - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

Illinois Blogs Survey « THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER

 

According to the Alexa U.S. Traffic Rank on November 2, 2009, the top 10 independent Illinois blogs that provide news & commentary on Illinois politics and government are:

  • 1. Chicagoist 9,871
  • 2. Windy Citizen 18,983
  • 3. Progress Illinois 26,981
  • 4. Gapers Block 30,159
  • 5. Capitol Fax/Rich Miller 49,942
  • 6. The Illinois Observer/David Ormsby 79,404
  • 7. Beachwood Reporter 90,510
  • 8. Illinois Review 90,287
  • 9. Chicago Daily Observer 147,031
  • 10. McHenry County Blog 151,021

Click on the following for more details on this blogging survey:   Illinois Blogs Survey « THE iLLINOIS OBSERVER

Illinois Fair Map Initiative - Press Conference 12-3-2009

League of Women Voters of Illinois

A nonpartisan political organization, dedicated to Making Democracy Work, through voter education, issue advocacy, and citizen participation.

Statement by Nancy Marcus
President, League of Women Voters of Illinois


The League of Women Voters has historically promoted the idea that citizen participation is key to maintaining and strengthening democracy. We are pleased to join with the Better
Government Association, the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform and members of the Illinois
Reform Commission to launch a citizens’ initiative and the “Take Back Illinois” campaign, the goal of which is to garner petition signatures to place the Illinois Fair Map Amendment on the November 2010 general election ballot.

The principles embodied in the Fair Map Amendment correspond well with the elements LWVIL believes are essential: a redistricting process that is timely and transparent, includes a formal announced timetable, makes information and related data available to all who wish to participate in the process, offers ample opportunity for public reaction to any proposed maps, maximizes diversity, and results in maps which offer voters a choice of candidates for election.

Illinois has serious challenges ahead. As you may know, a report released by the Pew Center on the States last month reported that Illinois is among ten states where the consequences of the current economic downturn is wreaking havoc, in part because Illinois’ leaders have been putting off making tough decisions and where the political resolve to enact long-term fixes to its fiscal problems is lacking.

The League of Women Voters of Illinois believes that underlying this analysis as well as a myriad of other issues is a lack of accountability on the part of those who’ve been elected to the Illinois General Assembly. Sadly, this includes a seeming indifference to the culture of corruption that has for too long been a hallmark of politics as usual in this state.

The League believes that redistricting is the next item on the reform agenda in Illinois. A citizen initiative involves the public in a significant way both by collecting signatures and also because of the amendment itself which allows for public participation. This proposed amendment makes the process more transparent and creates an independent commission all of which will result in legislative districts that will elect legislators who understand the enormous challenges and respond with laws that reflect the public interest.

To view other political stands of the League go to:  http://www.lwvil.org/

The League is seeking 500,000 signatures  for the redistricting referendum.

Groups seek redistricting reform

During the primary and campaign each legislative candidate’s stand on this legislation should be questioned.

proposed Illinois Fair Map Amendment puts the job of redistricting in the hands of a nine-member commission, none of whom can be a lobbyist, political official or state employee or contractor. It requires the redistricting to be done in open meetings, and gives the duty of breaking a deadlock to the Illinois Supreme Court, rather than the present practice of picking the deciding party out of a hat.

Click on the following for more details on this issue:  Northwest Herald  Groups seek redistricting reform

This is DeKalb but could it be Belvidere after Home Rule?

If Belvidere’s 2010 census shows a population over 25,000, it can become a home rule community.

INCREASE FOR THE CITY OF DEKALB, ILLINOIS

I. A public hearing to approve a proposed property tax levy increase for the City of DeKalb, Illinois for 2009 will be held on Monday, December 14, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, DeKalb Municipal Building, 200 South Fourth Street, DeKalb, Illinois.

Any person desiring to appear at the public hearing and present testimony to the taxing district may contact Steve Kapitan, City Clerk, Municipal Building, 200 South Fourth Street, DeKalb, Illinois at 815/748-2096.

II. The corporate and special purpose property taxes extended or abated for 2008 were $5,508,722.

The proposed corporate and special purpose property taxes to be levied for 2009 are $8,067,697. This represents a 46.45% increase over the previous year.

III. The property taxes extended for debt service and public building commission leases for 2008 were $0.

The estimated property taxes to be levied for debt service and public building commission leases for 2009 are $0. This represents a 0.00 percentage increase over the previous year.

IV. The total property taxes extended or abated for 2008 were $5,508,772.

The estimated total property taxes to be levied for 2009 are $8,067,697. This repsresents a 46.45% increase over the previous year.

Center for Disease Control - Seasonal Influenza (Flu) - Weekly Report: Influenza Summary Update

Synopsis:

During week 47 (November 22-28, 2009), influenza activity continued to decrease in the U.S.

  • 956 (15.4%) specimens tested by U.S. World Health Organization (WHO) and National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System (NREVSS) collaborating laboratories and reported to CDC/Influenza Division were positive for influenza.
  • Over 99% of all subtyped influenza A viruses being reported to CDC were 2009 influenza A (H1N1) viruses.
  • The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) was above the epidemic threshold for the ninth consecutive week.
  • Seventeen influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported. Twelve of these deaths were associated with 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection and five were associated with an influenza A virus for which the subtype was undetermined.
  • The proportion of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness (ILI) was 3.7% which is above the national baseline of 2.3%. Eight of the 10 regions reported ILI at or above region-specific baseline levels. Regions 6 and 10 reported ILI below their region specific baselines.
  • Twenty-five states reported geographically widespread influenza activity, 17 states reported regional influenza activity, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and six states reported local influenza activity, and Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and two states reported sporadic influenza activities.

    INFLUENZA Virus Isolated
    View WHO-NREVSS Regional Bar Charts | View Chart Data | View Full Screen | View PowerPoint Presentation Microsoft PowerPoint file

    Pneumonia and Influenza Hospitalization and Death Tracking:

    This new system was implemented on August 30, 2009, and replaces the weekly report of laboratory confirmed 2009 H1N1-related hospitalizations and deaths that began in April 2009. Jurisdictions can now report to CDC counts of hospitalizations and deaths resulting from all types or subtypes of influenza, not just those from 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. To allow jurisdictions to implement the new case definition, counts were reset to zero on August 30, 2009. From August 30 – November 28, 2009, 31,320 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated hospitalizations and 1,336 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated deaths were reported to CDC. CDC will continue to use its traditional surveillance systems to track the progress of the 2009-10 influenza season.

    Aggregate Hospital and Death Reporting
    View Full Screen
    | View PowerPoint Presentation Microsoft PowerPoint file

    Antigenic Characterization:

    CDC has antigenically characterized one seasonal influenza A (H1N1), three influenza A (H3N2), four influenza B, and 499 2009 influenza A (H1N1) viruses collected since September 1, 2009.

    One seasonal influenza A (H1N1) virus was tested and is related to the influenza A (H1N1) component of the 2009-10 Northern Hemisphere influenza vaccine (A/Brisbane/59/2007).

    The three influenza A (H3N2) viruses tested showed reduced titers with antisera produced against A/Brisbane/10/2007, the 2009-2010 Northern Hemisphere influenza A (H3N2) vaccine component, and were antigenically related to A/Perth/16/2009, the WHO recommended influenza A (H3N2) component of the 2010 Southern Hemisphere vaccine formulation.

    Influenza B viruses currently circulating globally can be divided into two distinct lineages represented by the B/Yamagata/16/88 and B/Victoria/02/87 viruses. The influenza B component of the 2009-10 vaccine belongs to the B/Victoria lineage. The four influenza B viruses tested belong to the B/Victoria lineage and are related to the influenza vaccine component for the 2009-10 Northern Hemisphere influenza vaccine (B/Brisbane/60/2008).

    Four hundred ninety-eight (99.8%) of 499 2009 influenza A (H1N1) viruses tested are related to the A/California/07/2009 (H1N1) reference virus selected by WHO as the 2009 H1N1 vaccine virus and one virus (0.2%) tested showed a reduced titer with antiserum produced against A/California/07/2009.

    Annual influenza vaccination is expected to provide the best protection against those virus strains that are related to the vaccine strains, but limited to no protection may be expected when the vaccine and circulating virus strains are so different as to be from different lineages. Antigenic characterization of 2009 influenza A(H1N1) viruses indicates that these viruses are only distantly related antigenically and genetically to seasonal influenza A(H1N1) viruses, suggesting that little to no protection would be expected from vaccination with seasonal influenza vaccine. It is too early in the influenza season to determine if seasonal influenza viruses will circulate widely or how well the seasonal vaccine and circulating strains will match.

    Antiviral Resistance:

    Since September 1, 2009, two seasonal influenza A (H1N1), five influenza A (H3N2), one influenza B, and 451 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus isolates have been tested for resistance to the neuraminidase inhibitors (oseltamivir and zanamivir), and 1,089 2009 influenza A (H1N1) original clinical samples were tested for a single known mutation in the virus that confers oseltamivir resistance. In addition, two influenza A (H3N2) and 207 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus isolates have been tested for resistance to the adamantanes (amantadine and rimantadine). Additional laboratories perform antiviral testing and report their results to CDC. The results of antiviral resistance testing performed on these viruses are summarized in the table below

  • To see the rest of the report/any update go to:  http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

New stem cell lines approved for tax-paid research

 National Institutes of Health - The Nation's Medical Research Agency

Thirteen stem cell lines -- created by Children's Hospital Boston and Rockefeller University -- are first on that list. Another 96 embryonic stem cell lines are undergoing NIH review, and 20 or more could get a decision by Friday, Collins said.

big change from the Bush administration, which had limited taxpayer-funded research to about 21 stem cell lines, those already in existence as of August 2001. Scientists say newer batches were created in ways that made them far better candidates for successful research. Indeed, only one of the Bush-era stem cell lines is among the 96 now under consideration.

Click on the following for more details:  Daily Herald | New stem cell lines approved for tax-paid research

Ill. raises speed limit for truckers

 ... illinois department of

-- The Illinois Department of Transportation says it will remove 55 mph speed-limit signs aimed at truckers along rural interstates early next year as the speed limit for trucks that weigh more than 4 tons increases to 65 mph.

the effort should cost about $75,000. The 55 mph signs need to be removed on about 1,800 miles of Illinois roads.  Enforcement of the new speed limit for truckers starts Jan. 1

Click on the following for more details:  Daily Herald | Ill. raises speed limit for truckers