Several community leaders asked for Bean's help in getting the STAR line, a long planned suburb-to-suburb rail system, off the ground.
The system would connect the Northwest and South suburbs along I-90 and the former Elgin, Joliet & Eastern railroad, linking destinations including O'Hare, Hoffman Estates, Naperville and Joliet.
Click on the following for more details: Daily Herald | Suburban officials, Bean talk funding for transportation, jobs, business
Grand Victoria Casino, a riverboat casino about 40 miles from Chicago in Elgin, Illinois. MGM said earlier this month it would sell its 50-percent stake in the Borgata casino-hotel in Atlantic City after New Jersey gambling regulators said the company's Macau partner, Pansy Ho, had links to Chinese organized crime.
Click on the following for details: Grand Victoria Casino co-owner MGM to be probed by state for possible Asian mob ties | Crain's Chicago Business
Boone County residents are also paying such taxes. In fact, some on the county board were talking about allowing the U of I to seek payment of next year’s levy this year. Imagine that-- paying for next year when the extension office may not even be here next year.
“We’re trying not to close any county offices. That all depends on the financing of the local program, and that’s different in every county,” he said.
Several years ago, many Illinois counties, including Champaign, approved ballot questions to financially support county Extension offices.It’s likely all the centers would close, though their leases expire at different times
Click on the following for more details: University of Illinois Extension mulls closures - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
by Derek Thompson
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
provided by 
If the United States suffers a debt crisis in the next decade, historians may well look to March 15, 2010 as an inflection point
Click on the following to read more: http://finance.yahoo.com/taxes/article/109214/much-ado-about-debt?mod=taxes-advice_strategy
case was filed in 2004 in Kentucky by three men who claim they were abused by priests and claim negligence by the Vatican. Their attorney, William McMurry, is seeking class-action status for the case, saying there are thousands of victims across the country.
"This case is the only case that has been ever been filed against the Vatican which has as its sole objective to hold the Vatican accountable for all the priest sex abuse ever committed in this country
Plaintiffs in the Kentucky suit argue that U.S. diocesan bishops were employees of the Holy See, and that Rome was therefore responsible for their alleged wrongdoing in failing to report abuse.
They say a 1962 Vatican document mandated that bishops not report sex-abuse cases to police
Click on the following for the details: Nation & World | Vatican offers 3 reasons it's not liable for abuse | Seattle Times Newspaper
coalition must collect 288,000 signatures and send them by May 2 to the secretary of state’s office. She said they are working to get 500,000 signatures in case any petitions are challenged but did not have a count yet of how many have been collected.
Ill. redistricting group extends petition deadline - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
automaker had slightly more than $5 billion in cash on hand.
Mr. Marchionne also runs, took management control of the company, which received about $15 billion, in all, from the Bush and Obama administrations.
Chrysler planned to present Fiat with a five-year plan in April that would outline the steps it would take back to sustained growth.
Click on the following for more details: Chrysler Expects to Break Even in 2010, Marchionne Says - NYTimes.com
Click on the arrow to begin the videotape.
On Monday, the county board Transportation Committee moved to hold public hearings to gather feedback on the program and recommended to halt new camera installations. However, those cities that already have them likely would keep them for at least as long as their current permit would allow.
Senate Bill 935, which is now in the House, would standardize the yellow light change time, create an allowance for not coming to a complete stop past the line if pedestrians aren't present and make it so that violations were reviewed and approved by police, transportation officials said on Monday.
Click on the following for more details: Kane getting complaints on red light cameras :: Beacon News :: Local News
Here are the reasons that Rockford’s shortening the hours of its libraries makes no sense.
[Ida Library, Belvidere] last year had a 12 to 15 percent increase in usage over the previous year….current year we are seeing at least another 10 percent increase in traffic
Ida Public Library has not been unaffected by the budget trouble sweeping through Illinois….per capita grants from the State of Illinois are reduced by 16 percent this year, were delivered several months late last year and are expected to be late again this year
Click on the following for more details: The Belvidere Daily Republican. - Ida Public Library usage at an all time high
This is new—someone is encouraging Mr. Hatfield and Ms. Gonzalez to apply for the position and they both are fully qualified. Why must the Boone County Board pay $600 per month to Mr. Empereur when there are two fully qualified administrators in the department already?
Bill Hatfield, director of environmental health, and Lisa Gonzalez, the Health Department’s director of personal health services, will act as co-public health administrators and oversee the department.
Both Hatfield and Gonzalez have the skill-set and meet the criteria required to assume the role of administrator and are encouraged to apply for the job, Empereur said. The post pays up to $78,000.
Since Empereur’s contract with the county was tied to Crawford and has expired, the board voted to retain him as a consultant. His contract approval must be reviewed by Boone County State’s Attorney Michelle Courier. Empereur is not paid by the Health Department but receives $600 a month from the Illinois Public Health Association for his work, he said.
Click on the following for more details: Search for new Boone health official to start Thursday - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
Here is a great summary of the possible issues which the court will weigh as presented by constitutional experts.
What the opponents are really claiming is that it is unconstitutional to make Americans pay taxes.
- The Supreme Court has never upheld a “tax” penalizing private citizens who refuse to enter into a contract with a private company
- Any state that does not want to expand Medicaid can simply drop the program entirely.
- If Congress can legislate this broadly, then there is no limit to federal power in every aspect of life.
Is the Health Care Law Unconstitutional? - Room for Debate Blog - NYTimes.com
In Boone County, not even county board members can see the individual expenditures of all county funds. In DuPage county every citizen can see them on the internet. The reports contain information about expenditures subject to DuPage County Board budgetary appropriation.
Do you think we have a problem here in Boone County?
County Auditor Bob Grogan is pledged to provide the citizens and taxpayers of DuPage County with timely and pertinent information regarding the operations of DuPage County Government. To that end, the Auditor has made the individual expenditures of County funds available for public viewing. The data is available for the current fiscal year through the end of last month, as well as several prior fiscal years.
Click on the following to see how thing should work: DuPage County
explosion occurred at 7:50 am in the Lubyanka subway station, killing people both on the platform and in an incoming train. Numerous others were injured.
1995 Illinois law requires doctors to notify parents 48 hours before their daughter 17 or younger seeks an abortion. But it isn't being enforced now because of a temporary restraining order placed on the law. This is just the latest in years of legal debate over the legislation.
Today, a Cook County judge will decide whether to lift the restriction.
Whatever the judge decides, it's unlikely the law would go into effect immediately
City Room™ - News In Brief - Judge Expected to Making Ruling on Illinois Abortion Law
S&Pplaced Illinois' general obligation debt on credit watch with negative implications. It did assign an A-plus rating to a pending $300-million sale of taxable Build America Bonds for state infrastructure work.
S&P said it based its decision on "the state's growing budget gap, ongoing liquidity pressure and the lack of recurring solutions under consideration for fiscal 2011 and beyond."
"We continue to believe that Illinois has the capacity to restore budget balance due to the absence of tax limitations or stringent constitutional" limits, S&P added. "But its willingness to implement difficult and politically unpopular measures to restore budget balance is questionable."
If Illinois' debt rating was lowered, it would have to pay somewhat higher interest costs to borrow money.
To read more click on the following : S&P hits state officials, threatens bond downgrade | Greg Hinz | Crain's Chicago Business
Or go directly to the S&P source: http://img.en25.com/Web/StandardandPoors/IL%20GO%20Mar%2026%2010.pdf
NY Times continues the stories.
It is sickening, quite sickening,” said Eamon Gorman, 62, who works for a pharmaceutical company here.
“We deserve better from the church hierarchy,” he added. “If they want to save the situation, they have to come out with the details, all the details, right now.”
Click on the following for more details: Sexual Abuse Scandal Tests Catholics’ Trust in Leaders - NYTimes.com
NY Times using a Reuters News release to continue discussion regarding Pope Benedict and the child abuse cases.
Click on the following to read the Reuters/NYTimes article: On Palm Sunday, Pope Says He Won’t Be Intimidated by Abuse Critics - NYTimes.com
proposal would allow property assessors to use foreclosures and homes sold through short sales when determining the value of a home
Click on the following for more details: Tax assessment change would help homeowners, hurt governments - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
Through this new law, we are getting documents that should always have been open to the public actually turned over,” Madigan said. “The changes to FOIA are really sweeping. We had to do this to directly confront the long-entrenched culture of secrecy in Illinois.”
Madigan said that she had dedicated herself to creating transparency and holding public officials accountable. She described several cases in which her office succeeded in reducing or exposing waste and corruption, protecting the public from scams and ensuring the criminal justice system is working.
See the comments shown below from a Rockford Register Star reader regarding the new chief at North Boone. Base upon the comments especially from Westmont residents you can see why Dr. Baule applied for the job at North Boone. There are over 50 comments. Whether that indicates something good or bad that is up to you and the test of time.
In a special meeting Thursday, board members picked Baule over eight other people to replace Rita Brodnax. The applicant list was provided by the Boone/Winnebago Regional Office of Education.
Steven M. Baule resigned Tuesday night as superintendent for the Westmont School District to become North Boone’s leader, effective July 1.
His three-year contract gives an annual salary of $135,000, plus retirement benefits.
COMMENTS:
from PGMOM:
wow I just looked up his former salary and it was 184,948 ---- with pension and health insurance and annuity funds compensation -- total compensation $218,000.00 -- not hard to find did google search Steven Baule Salary Superintendent Westmont School District and then clicked on first one that came up for search --seems odd he broke a contract with a good school district and good pay for this
when is the next board meeting scheduled - will have to find this out. what changes can he bring to our district?///from Bent
Baule was involved in a grade-inflation scandal at Zion that along with other character issues contributed to his dismissal.
It was discovered he inflated 184 semester grades upward, and then had the arrogance to brag how he 'improved' grades at Zion in one of the self-serving 'books' he uses to impress the next district that might hire him. Watch your back North Boone...feel the stirrups yet?from dingoringo
Am I the only one bothered that Mr. Baule has been a teacher in two states,a librarian, an assistant principal, a principal, an assistant superintendent, a superintendent, and author and he's only 43 years old? How can you claim success at so many careers in so little time? How many of the people commenting here have actually met Steve? How many have interacted with him? If anyone feels the citizens of Westmont have reacted harshly please do not misinterpret our actions. The parents of 201 are not mean or vindictive, we are extending a courtesy that we wish we had been extended. We are passionate because we, like you, care about our small community and our kids and want the best for both. That said, from personal experience, Baule has gone on record as not being a fan of the poor, ESL or special needs student. If you think your child needs services please try to secure them before the end of the year.
Chick on the following for more details: New school chief brings high-tech know-how - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
NY Times view of Tea-Partiers is very interesting and something I did hear before.
[tea party members and grassroots organizers] they had lost their jobs, or perhaps watched their homes plummet in value, and they found common cause in the Tea Party’s fight for lower taxes and smaller government.
Click on the following for more details: With No Job, Plenty of Time for Tea Party - NYTimes.com
1974--That same year he took up residence at his mother’s home near Boulder Junction, Wisconsin,” the statement read. “He was never formally associated as a priest of the Diocese of Superior and was always the responsibility of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.”
Donald Marshall, now 45, said he was 13 or 14 when Murphy assaulted him at a reform school in the north-central Wisconsin town of Irma at the eastern end of the Superior Diocese. Murphy was serving as an unofficial assistant pastor in the area.
Another man wrote to former Superior Bishop Raphael Fliss in 2002 with claims Murphy molested him several times as a young, deaf altar boy in Boulder Junction, where Murphy lived until his death in 1998
The Catholic Diocese of Superior and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee attempted to quietly defrock Murphy in the 1990s, appealing to high-ranking Vatican officials, including those who are now Pope Benedict and his secretary of state, Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, according to church documents.
Though the Vatican initially gave permission to proceed, it reversed itself after Murphy wrote to Ratzinger in January 1998, saying he was “now 72 years old [and] repentant of any past sins.”
Alleged abuse continued in Superior Diocese | Superior Telegram | Superior, Wisconsin
More witnesses to the Milwaukee child abuse case at the school for the deaf. It appears that the Times will exchange blows/news articles with the Vatican until the Pope reacts to the pressure. This is the fourth day in a row that the Times has a story about child abuse and the Catholic Church.
Click on the following for more details: For Years, Deaf Boys Tried to Tell of Priest’s Abuse - NYTimes.com
The Illinois Department of Transportation is “leaning toward the Belvidere route” for restored Amtrak service from Chicago through Rockford to Dubuque, Iowa, said George Weber, chief of IDOT’s bureau of railroads. An official announcement is expected soon.
Click on the following for more details: IDOT official: State leaning toward Belvidere Amtrak route - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
JP Morgan’s Japan Fund has NDK as one of its largest holdings.
The fund's top share holdings include Nihon Dempa Kogyo, a leading manufacturer of quartz electronic parts, and Daikokutenbussan, an operator of discount food stores.
Click on the following for mo9re details: FUND VIEW-JP Morgan picks tech, environment stocks in Japan
The article as a whole is a good summary of the events involved in the possible scandal .
In an unsigned editorial on Thursday, L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, criticized The[New York] Times for an article published Thursday on the abuse issue. The Italian editorial said that Benedict had always handled such cases with “transparency, purpose and severity,” and accused the news media of acting “with the clear and ignoble intent of trying to strike Benedict and his closest collaborators at any cost.”
Freising placed full responsibility for the decision to allow the priest to resume his duties on Cardinal Ratzinger’s deputy, the Rev. Gerhard Gruber. But the memo, whose existence was confirmed by two church officials, shows that the future pope not only led a meeting on Jan. 15, 1980, approving the transfer of the priest, but was also kept informed about the priest’s reassignment.
Pope Was Told Pedophile Priest Would Get Transfer - NYTimes.com
businesses with 50 or fewer employees a $2,500 credit for every new full-time job created in the next fiscal year. To be eligible, each new job would pay at least $13.75 per hour.
Click on the following for more details: Illinois Issues blog: New hiring tax credit passes both chambers
Cat said $100m so JD had to do them one better.
Illinois-based Deere & Co. said today they would lose $150 million this year alone due to the Democrats’ government-takeover of health care.
Bisphenol-A, also known as BPA, is a chemical used in the production of a tough, lightweight and heat-resistant plastic used in automobiles, sports safety equipment, digital media products such as CDs and DVDs, food and drink containers, and other common products.
younger children can suffer adverse health effects from exposure to even small levels of the chemical
Click on the following for the next 7 days to read this opinion piece: Our View: Banning BPA is a good idea | Daily Chronicle
From start to finish, less than 12 hours.
Now, the bill that passed clearly will save major coin. According to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, the Legislature's fiscal unit, it will reduce the state's pension liability by $119 billion by 2045. That's more than big enough for lawmakers to go home this fall and tell voters that they'd taken a big, big bite out of the state's fiscal woes.
only for new workers, the state does nothing with that $80 billion in unfunded liability for current workers
exempts police and firefighters. They happen to get the sweetest pensions around — full benefit retirement at age 50,
Chicago Public Schools to reduce its required pension contribution by $400 million a year for each of the next three years…Chicago teachers retirement fund only had 54% of the assets needed to pay its eventual liabilities
Click on the following to read the rest of the story: State pension deal more politics than reform | Greg Hinz | Crain's Chicago Business
Counsel for the investigative arm of the Illinois Supreme Court recommended Wednesday that West Dundee lawyer William C. Chesbrough be disbarred.
Fox Valley residents who accuse Chesbrough of bilking them out of a combined $140,000 in separate incidents between 2006 and 2009.
Click on the following for more details: Disbarment recommended for W. Dundee lawyer :: The Courier News :: Local News
Today is the deadline to file a petition that would send the decision to buy bonds to fund the expansions of the DeKalb County Courthouse and jail to a referendum, and residents gathering signatures appear to be short.
Click on the following to read the rest of the story: Running low on time, signatures | Daily Chronicle
The signs of growing radicalization are everywhere. Armed men have come to Obama speeches bearing signs suggesting that the "tree of liberty" needs to be "watered" with "the blood of tyrants."
The number of hate groups in America has been going up for years, rising 54% between 2000 and 2008 and driven largely by an angry backlash against non-white immigration and, starting in the last year of that period, the economic meltdown and the climb to power of an African American president.
Read more by clicking on the following: Rage on the Right | Southern Poverty Law Center
Americans' views of President Obama are the most negative since Obama took office last year -- 46% approve and 48% disapprove in the latest Gallup Daily three-day average. Meanwhile, Congress' 16% approval rating is just two points above its all-time low.
Click on the following to see how the President is doing today: http://www.gallup.com/tag/Presidential%2bJob%2bApproval.aspx
PRINCETON, NJ -- Gallup's Economic Confidence Index is -31 for the week of March 15-21, continuing a trend of depressed confidence that began three weeks prior.
The internal correspondence from bishops in Wisconsin directly to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future pope, shows that while church officials tussled over whether the priest should be dismissed, their highest priority was protecting the church from scandal
No mention what benefit Boone County will get.
Designating the two counties[Winnebago and Boone] as a federally-recognized economic development district doesn’t guarantee jobs will come here; it only guarantees that both counties can apply for federal dollars for shovel-ready infrastructure projects.
Winnebago County may spend $48K to form development district - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
city must disclose any "names of prospective candidates, their résumés, curricula vitae and letters or e-mail correspondence between prospective candidates and Mayor (Kris) Povlsen concerning their qualifications for the Third Ward position," according to the letter
city does not have to disclose e-mail correspondence between Povlsen and sitting aldermen, according to the letter. But rather than the privacy exemption, the PAC determined that a different exemption – records in which "opinions are expressed, or policies or actions are formulated" unless when the record is "publicly cited and identified" by the mayor – is valid.
Click on the following for more details: State's ruling on FOIA partially denied | Daily Chronicle
A majority of seniors say passing it was a bad thing
Click on the following for more details on this recent Gallop Poll: Majority of Poor, Young, Uninsured Back Healthcare Bill
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church is one of three area churches that will be planting a community garden this spring.
Raised bed plots will also be available for rent for about $10 a season. Although the final dimensions and prices have yet to be finalized, they also will be around eight by four feet.
There was a movement, probably started last year, that recognized the need for sources for food for people in the community who don’t have enough,” Bronn said. “We decided that a community garden would be a great way to enhance the environment and grow food for people who really need it.”
Boone and Winnebago counties’ Workforce Investment Board recently got a $735,000 federal stimulus grant to train workers in solar-energy jobs, including installing the completed panels. Details are still being worked out, though, on how the money will be spent and how residents can apply for training.
Wanxiang Group is China’s second-largest privately held company, with revenues in the billions of dollars annually. Its Wanxiang America subsidiary had $1 billion in sales last year.
Click on the following for more details: Wanxiang's solar panel plant nears opening day in Rockford - - BusinessRockford.com
Original Letter:
From Adam Andrzejewski
Former Republican Gubernatorial Candidate and For The Good Of Illinois, Founder
Attorney General Lisa Madigan Punts on Important Transparency Issue
On February 17th , 2010, for the first time in Illinois history, the Illinois Senate met in a secret budget meeting defined as a “joint caucus”. The Chicago Tribune editorial board used the term “probably illegal” to describe the meeting.
“The Illinois Senate used the statehouse as their personal private meeting hall, abusing the state constitution, the open meetings act, and the spirit of open and transparent Government. Discussing the severity of and solutions to the Illinois budget crisis, a topic that is negatively impacting every Illinois citizen and business, the Senate Sergeant at Arms held order and barred entry to the press under threat of arrest,” Andrzejewski related. “The people of Illinois pay for the lights, heat, building, and the salaries of the every state employee and legislator; yet, the people of Illinois were locked out of the discussion.”
Responding to Andrzejewski’s “Request for Review”, Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office rendered her opinion today. Here is what she said:
It’s ironic that the self-described “Champion” of transparency is of no legal assistance on this issue. The Attorney General’s office basically says:
1. Because of politics, we are not going on the record on the substance of this issue
2. If the Legislature invents a type of “meeting” not defined by statue or in the Constitution, they can do what they want in that meeting, and
3. In order to get any finding of a violation of the spirit or letter of Illinois laws, you need to file a law suit and hope that the court finds in favor of transparency.
“This is merely another example of how Illinois’ political class abuses the laws, and citizenry, of Illinois. Why bother having a Freedom of Information Act, an Open Meetings Act, or even a Constitution, if the Legislature can operate outside any rules with impunity?” asked Andrzejewski.
The un-enforceable Illinois Constitution, along with the amorphous laws passed underneath it, deprive the citizens of their putative right to see the workings of their government. This is by design, not by accident, as Lisa Madigan’s actions indicate.
-30-
Click on the following for more details: ATTORNEY GENERAL LISA MADIGAN "PUNTS" ON IMPORTANT TRANSPARENCY ISSUE - For The Good Of Illinois
Boone County’s Health Administrator peddles his book.
Most of us never get rich,” said Empereur, 63, of Rockford. “We never leave a fortune behind. But we can leave a fortune of memories behind.”
Empereur, who has spent most of his life as a public health administrator or consultant, says his self-published book initially started as a memoir
Read more about the author by clicking on the following: Author's foray into memoir writing started as Mother’s Day gift - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
Here's a look at some of the myths and realities, from both sides of the issue:
— Obama has put the nation on a slippery slope toward socialism.
— Health care overhaul is going to lower your health insurance premiums.
— You will be forced to pay for other people's abortions.
— The Democratic bill will lead to government health care rationing.
— The American people have already rejected Obamacare.
— The legislation will save Medicare from bankruptcy.
The following article is available free for seven days, check the article’s answers to these statements: FACT CHECK: Spinning the new health care law | Daily Chronicle
-- Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is proposing overhauling 
state and local pensions…
legislation would limit to $106,800 the salary that is applied to a public sector employee's pension.
Click on the following for more details: Daily Herald | Sweeping state pension overhaul proposed
Boone County only eight California counties are worse and Winnebago did not make the list.
AP’s Economic Stress Index found the average county’s score in January was 11.9. That was sharply higher than the 10.8 reading in December, the previous high.
index calculates a score from 1 to 100 based on a county’s unemployment, foreclosure and bankruptcy rates. A higher score in dictates more stress.
20 MOST STRESSED COUNTIES
The 20 most economically stressed counties with populations of at least 25,000 and their January 2010 stress scores.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ECONOMIC STRESS INDEX
1.Imperial County, Calif.31.34
2.Merced County, Calif. 28.09
3.Lyon County, Nev.27.91
4.San Benito County, Calif.26.58
5.Yuba County, Calif. 25.47
6.Stanislaus County, Calif.25.07
7.Sutter County, Calif.24.92
8.San Joaquin County, Calif.24.68
9.Boone County, Ill.24.64
10.Marion County, S.C.24.60
11.Lapeer County, Mich.24.44
12.Iosco County, Mich.24.13
13.Nye County, Nev.24.00
14.Cheboygan County, Mich.23.81
15.Lake County, Calif.23.72
16.Taney County, Mo.23.12
17.Clark County, Nev.22.97
18.Marshall County, Tenn.22.89
19.Chester County, S.C.22.69
20.Union County, S.C.22.64
Click on the following for more details: Nevada tops list of economically troubled at A Stern Glance
Chemtool donates $5,000 to Growth Dimension
Growth Dimensions Welcomes Chemtool as Gold Member
Growth Dimensions is pleased to announce Chemtool Incorporated's gold membership in the organization.
Growth Dimensions has been working with Chemtool since 2005 through the organization's AgTech Initiative. The Initiative has assisted Chemtool in analyzing and recognizing opportunities in the biobased industry.
Chemtool Incorporated is one of the largest manufacturers and custom formulators of lubricants and specialty products in the world. The privately held company was started by James Athans in 1963 and currently employs nearly 500 people. The headquarters and main facility of Chemtool is located in Crystal Lake with a research and development team with highly qualified chemists, biologists, and technical specialists. The company has also recently located a 450,000 square foot distribution facility and Corporate Technology Center in Rockton, IL.
"We're very happy to be a member of the organization and part of the board of directors,"stated Joel Day of Chemtool's Business Development." Chemtool Incorporated's philosophy is similar to that of Growth Dimensions. We believe in giving back to the community and we do what we can to make improvements and make this area a better place to live.
Mr. Day joined Chemtool incorporated in early 2010 and will be representing the company on Growth
Dimensions' Board of Directors. Growth Dimensions looks forward to Chemtool's leadership and participation in the organization throughout the years ahead.
Pictured Above: Chemtool Production Center- Rockton, IL
Will this ever end.
Manzullo Joins Illinois Colleagues in Urging IL Attorney General Madigan to Challenge New Health Care Mandate in Court
WASHINGTON – Congressman Don Manzullo today joined several Illinois Congressional colleagues in urging Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to join 15 other state attorneys general in challenging whether the new federal health care mandate is constitutional.
The new legislation, signed into law by the President today, requires all Americans to purchase health insurance whether they want it or not and whether they can afford it or not. Those who do not comply with the new mandate face federal tax penalties and possible imprisonment for tax evasion. Up to 16,500 new IRS agents could be hired to monitor compliance with this new mandate and enforce penalties against taxpayers.
"This is the first time the federal government has required Americans to buy a product or face fines and possible imprisonment, and it's blatantly unconstitutional. I urge Attorney General Madigan to join the other states in challenging this mandate on behalf of the people of Illinois," Manzullo said. "At a time when Illinois schools are laying off thousands of teachers to deal with the state's $12 billion budget hole, this bill would add more than $1 billion in extra Medicaid costs to the state's obligations. It's a disaster for the people of Illinois, and it needs to be struck down in the courts so we can focus on real reform that makes health care more affordable and accessible to Americans."
The letter was also signed by U.S. Reps. Aaron Schock, Peter Roskam, Judy Biggert, John Shimkus and Tim Johnson, all of Illinois.
U-2’s are in direct radio contact with the troops in Afghanistan. And instead of following a rote path, they are now shifted frequently in midflight to scout roads for convoys and aid soldiers in firefights.
even from 13 miles up its sensors can detect small disturbances in the dirt, providing a new way to find makeshift mines that kill many soldiers.
Click on the following for more details: u-2-spy-plane-evades-the-day-of-retirement: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance
Here is something to be proud of—the area with the state’s highest unemployment rate is last to organize a federally aided economic development district.
. Under the partnership, Boone County’s annual share of the local match would be $8,625, and Winnebago County’s would be $48,375. The EDA [Economic Development Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce] would match the $57,000 local contribution, giving the EDD[bi-county economic development district] a $114,000 annual operating budget.
Winnebago-Boone metropolitan statistical area is the last large urban region in the state to pursue such a partnership with the EDA by establishing an EDD.
The payoff
“The Economic Development Administration is one of the smallest divisions of the federal government, and they run out of funding quite quickly,” Borich said, noting the federal government’s fiscal year begins in the fall.
[Applications in the works:]
application submitted to the EDA in November will yield a $12 million entrepreneurship grant this year.
730,000 economic adjustment grant aimed at restructuring the regional economy, creating a “seamless digital interface” for improved economic development coordination, and an implementation strategy.
$10 million, is related to creating the country’s first commercial and defense aerospace “incubator facility” in the City of Rockford…. EIGERlab.
Click on the following for more details: County Board to consider implementing economic development district | The Rock River Times
Raymond W. Empereur will continue as Public Health Administrator on a temporary part-time basis while a search is initiated to replace Crawford.
William Hatfield and Lisa Gonzalez will serve as interim co-assistant public health administrators until a new public health administrator can be recruited to replace Empereur.
The position of Public Health Administrator will be posted and advertised in the coming weeks.
Click on the following for more details: The Belvidere Daily Republican. - Boone County Board of Health accepts resignation
Health insurers, for the first time, would be subject to rate oversight by the state's Department of Insurance, and insurers would have to expand the information they report to the state about their premiums.
McRaith said the insurance department will enforce national standards for the amount of revenue from premiums that must be used to pay health-care claims; insurers that fail to meet these minimum spending targets would have to provide rebates to policyholders.Self-insured health plans, which cover 40 percent of Illinois' workforce and currently are exempt from Illinois insurance mandates, for the first time would be governed by certain "basic consumer protections," he said.
Self-insured plans also would be included in the requirement that parents be allowed to keep older children on their coverage up to age 26.
Click on the following to read all of The State Journal-Register article: BeHealthySpringfield.com
Experts say none of it is likely to work, but it will keep the issue, and the outrage, alive until Election Day.
"I am surprised by the mobilization of the states. It does strike me as a kind of civil disobedience, a declaration that we're not going to follow the law of the land," said Mark Hall, a professor of law and public health at Wake Forest University.
Because the individual mandate does not take effect until 2014, the states challenging that have time to work on legislation.
Click on the following for more details: Opponents take last stand against health care bill - Yahoo! News
Remember—If you are pulled over by the police—the police can record you but you cannot record the policeman (without permission).
Two DeKalb brothers were indicted Monday on felony and misdemeanor eavesdropping charges for reportedly recording police officers on a November traffic stop.
In Illinois, it is illegal to make a recording of an oral conversation without the consent of all parties. There are exceptions, including uniformed police officers using recording devices like squad car-mounted cameras in the course of their duties.
For the next seven days you can read the entire story free by clicking on the following: DeKalb brothers indicted on eavesdropping charges | Daily Chronicle
There would be no housing market today without the government.
Over the past 18 months, Washington has taken extraordinary steps to keep home loans available and affordable
price tag has been huge -- $126 billion and growing.
Now comes the hard part: figuring out what to do next.
Last year, they backed about 70 percent of all home loans, according to Inside Mortgage Finance, a trade publication
Debate on the future of Fannie, Freddie heats up - Yahoo! Finance
All local or state government subject to the Freedom of Information must prominently display information about its purpose, its organizational chart, its budget, number of employees, and all advisory boards. So have you ever seen these at the county, or city or on their website?
None of the defendants has hired an attorney
The case is set to resume at 1 p.m. in Judge Eugene Doherty’s courtroom in the Boone County Courthouse with one more defendant, Cecillio Rubalcava, left to be called. Closing arguments will then begin.
7 defendants in Boone gang trial deny being Latin Kings - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
The following was recently posted by the blog, City Barbs regarding my blogs:
Citybarbs is fixing to say goodbye to the Wogen Watch blog and wouldn’t you know it, here’s another to take its place on the blogroll.
Check out the Boone County Watchdog run by Bill Pysson, who also has an interesting story to tell as a former District 100 School Board candidate. Pysson is prolific, mixing in-depth articles on Boone County government with summaries and links to stories of regional and statewide interest daily.
Boone County is where the idea for the water authority referendum came from, isn’t it? And I believe they have a stake in whether or not DeKalb County expands/builds a jail? We ought to be keeping an eye on them anyway, then. *wink*
civil trial in her lawsuit against accused gang bangers set to resume March 22, Boone County State’s Attorney Michelle Courier won’t make predictions on an outcome, but she contends some results have already taken shape.
majority of defendants in the lawsuit either signed off on agreements with prosecutors or received default judgments against them for failing to respond to the lawsuit, eight suspected gang members continue to fight.
members voluntarily agreed to the no-contact orders, giving them an out from gang life not often available.
The real change from an earlier story is the headline.
Editor’s note: On rrstar.com Thursday, under the headline “Board member did not disclose ties to supplier,” both the headline and the story’s premise were incorrect. Board member Karl Johnson told the board about his job with a subcontractor to a firm that won a county contract.
State officials are still investigating whether december's deadly explosion at the n-d-k plant, could have been prevented.
NDK's top management agreed in court today they'd be back this summer to provide an update on the U.S. Chemical Safety Board's investigation. That includes a root cause analysis, a corrective action plan, and if neccessary, a hazard and operability study. These reports are expected to give the attorney general's office better understanding as to whether the blast could have been prevented and if any damage was done to the environment. NDK officials are cooperating with the law, but said they're not sure if they'll rebuild the plant.
"No decision has been made as to the future of NDK Crystal simply because the investigation is nowhere near over as the U.S. Chemical Safety Board indicated back in December, it anticipates to conclude its investigation in about a year's time." said Gary Vist, NDK Representative.
The next status hearing is set for June 18th.
Click on the following for more details: NDK Update
highest year-over-year increase in the nation.
Metro areas with
the highest unemployment1. El Centro, Calif.: 27.3 percent
2. Merced, Calif.: 21.7 percent
3. Yuba City, Calif: 20.8 percent
4. Yuma, Ariz.: 20.1 percent
5. Rockford: 19.7 percent
19. Flint, Mich.: 16.4 percent
21. Kankakee: 16 percent
24 (tie). Elkhart-Goshen and Detroit, 15.6 percent
33. Danville, 15 percent
38. Decatur, 14.4 percent
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The metro area’s unemployment rate was 19.7 percent, a 5.8 percentage point increase, higher than all 372 metro areas in the country,
Unemployment rate increase in Rockford the nation’s highest - - BusinessRockford.com
Boone County’s rookie robotics team, The Flaming Monkeys, was part of a three-team alliance that won the FIRST Robotics Competition’s Midwest regional today, earning a trip to the championship in Atlanta next month.
Not bad for a team of only six high school students that was just happy to make a competition-ready robot.
Boone County robotics team earns ticket to Atlanta - - BusinessRockford.com
In the letter, Benedict also directly addressed bishops. “It cannot be denied that some of you and your predecessors failed, at times grievously, to apply the long-established norms of canon law to the crime of child abuse,” he wrote.
He added that bishops should also “continue to cooperate with the civil authorities in their area of competence.”
Pope Offers Apology, Not Penalty, for Sex Abuse Scandal - NYTimes.com
PASTORAL LETTER
OF THE HOLY FATHER
POPE BENEDICT XVI
TO THE CATHOLICS OF IRELAND
This pastoral letter is available at: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/letters/2010/documents/hf_ben-xvi_let_20100319_church-ireland_en.html
Good summary of the Pope’s connections to sex abuse cases across the world. Will he do something or let the fire continue.
The revelations have put the spotlight on Benedict's handling of abuse claims both when he was archbishop of Munich from 1977-1982 and then the prefect of the Vatican office that deals with such crimes — a position he held until his 2005 election as pope.
We find it extraordinarily hard to believe that Ratzinger didn't reassign the predator, or know about the reassignment," said Barbara Blaine, president and founder of SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
Already, the scandal was inching closer to Benedict after allegations of abuse surfaced at the prestigious choir that was led by his brother, Georg Ratzinger, from 1964 until 1994.
Click on the following for more details: Pope under fire for priest transfer, letter on sex abuse - USATODAY.com
This is a new story regarding the pope’s role in the German scandals.
In 1980, after abuse complaints from parents in Essen that the priest did not deny, Archbishop Ratzinger approved a decision to move the priest to Munich for therapy.
psychiatrist said in an interview that he did not have any direct communications with Archbishop Ratzinger and did not know whether or not the archbishop knew about his warnings. Though he said he had spoken with several senior church officials, Dr. Huth’s main contact at the time was a bishop, Heinrich Graf von Soden-Fraunhofen, who died in 2000.
Click on the following for more details: German Diocese Ignored Abuse Warnings, Doctor Says - NYTimes.com
Illinois Department of Employment Security report released Tuesday--
these unemployment figures are not seasonally adjusted.
If the Obama administration is successful at moving a limited number of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detainees to Thomson, Ill., the operation will be run, at least temporarily, out of the Rock Island Arsenal, congressional aides and an administration official said Thursday.
Rich Carter, a spokesman for Manzullo, said Thursday that administration officials briefed congressional staff earlier this week. And, Carter said, they were told the administrative offices overseeing the detainees at Thomson would be based at the Arsenal.
Obama administration still wants to buy a prison in northwestern Illinois even if it's not used to hold Guantanamo Bay detainees.
A Thursday letter from the Justice Department to Republican Congressman Don Manzullo says the department would seek to purchase the facility in Thomson even if detainees weren't being considered for transfer.
But the letter also gives no indication the administration is backing away from its plan to bring detainees
Click on the following for more details: Nation & World | Feds to buy Illinois prison even without detainees | Seattle Times Newspaper
Here is website which might help some of our unemployed.
The Workforce Connection is a partnership of state and federally funded employment and training programs, economic development agencies and educational entities committed to providing a workforce that meets the needs of our business community; now and in the future.
Providing one contact for employers to find workers and for job-seekers to receive training, education and employment services.Click on the following for more details: The WorkForce Connection
will revisit research the agency published in 2004 [4], which concluded that the process of hydraulic fracturing [5] did not pose a threat to drinking water. The 2004 report has been widely criticized, in part because the agency didn't conduct any water tests in reaching that conclusion.
The American Petroleum Institute released a statement saying it expects the study "to confirm what 60 years of experience and investigation have already demonstrated: that hydraulic fracturing is a safe and well understood technology for producing oil and natural gas."
the agency said it will spend nearly $2 million on the research this year and is asking for more money for next year. It promised a transparent, peer-reviewed process that includes stakeholder input. The EPA is seeking input from its Science Advisory Board on exactly how the study should proceed.
Click on the following for more details: EPA Launches National Study of Hydraulic Fracturing - ProPublica
The complete report is available at: http://www.niu.edu/feb14report/Feb14report.pdf
A much more thorough analysis of the issues in the case in editorial form.
court ruled that the state Department of Revenue in 2004 properly stripped Provena Covenant Medical Center in Urbana of its property-tax exemption because the hospital provided very little charitable care. In 2002, only 302 of its 110,000 patients got free or reduced-rate care through the hospital's charity program. That care was worth just 0.7 percent of the hospital's revenue that year. Because of the state's decision, Provena owed $1.1 million in property taxes to local governments.
The Supreme Court didn't project what would be an acceptable level of charitable care
This court ruling has a clear impact on Provena, which has lost its property tax exemption. Beyond that, things aren't so clear
Click on the following to read more of the details: Supreme Court upholds decision to strip Provena Covenant Medical Center of property- tax exemption - chicagotribune.com
there was ample support for the Department of Revenue’s conclusion that Provena failed to meet its burden of showing that it used the parcels in the PCMC complex actually and exclusively for charitable purposes.”
Click on the following for more details: Illinois high court: Hospital shouldn't be tax exempt - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
Click on the following to read the court’s decision: http://www.state.il.us/court/OPINIONS/SupremeCourt/2010/March/107328.pdf
Board members Cathy Ward, Kathy Hartwig, Kenny Freeman, Pat Mattison and Peggy Malone were upset that Johnson did not disclose his role in the matter earlier.
Click on the following for more details: Boone board member did not disclose ties to supplier - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
Most residents who spoke sided with the naysayers. Josh Boies, of Sycamore, was among them. He’s leading a petition effort that if successful, would send the approval of the sale of the bonds to a referendum in November.
The county board has shown the citizens a lack of respect by voting to authorize the sale of bonds before holding the public hearing, he said.
“Why are we asking for public comment now? You’ve already voted,” Boies said. “The citizens of our county are very smart people. If you state your case on why you want to expand the jail and why you want to expand the courthouse ... the majority of people will want to do what’s right. ... When you are doing a project of this magnitude, why not put it on our ballot and let the voters have a voice?”Boies has until March 25 to get 4,201 signatures on his petition, he has said. If he reaches his goal, the county board’s decision to issue specific bond amounts will be put on hold. Otherwise the board will vote on the matter in April.
Read the entire article by clicking on the following: Judge: 'We have no room left' | Daily Chronicle
Stephanie [Seaworth] Crawford delivered her immediate resignation to the Boone County Board of Health Wednesday.
last year when it hired Crawford as its top administrator, though she lacked a state-required qualification. Board members said they felt she met the necessary requirements, but the State Board of Health disagreed, saying she needed two years of administrative experience inside a public health department.
Make sure you read the comments posted on the Register Star website.
Click on the following for more details: Boone assistant health administrator resigns - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
Kane County state's attorney's office says the 37-year-old Bolivian-born priest abused a St. Charles child over a five-year period between Jan. 1, 2005 and Jan 1, 2010.
Click on the following for more of the story: Pantagraph.com | News from Associated Press
The end maybe soon. Many newspapers are talking about it.
Williams-Young did confirm that the FDIC recently rented office space at 200 N. Martingale Road in Schaumburg, where "as many as 500 nonpermanent staff and contractors" will work "to manage receiverships and liquidate assets from failed financial institutions, primarily located in Midwestern states."
FDIC spokeswoman LaJuan Williams-Young said Tuesday that her agency cannot comment on the situation. The comptroller of the currency and FDIC act secretively when a bank is taken over involuntarily, typically not even announcing that to the bank's employees until closing time on a Friday night.
Amcore Bank may be on auction block for takeover :: The Courier News :: Local News
It is pretty clear—heads of government units must release the name of all applicants for appointed positions.
The Illinois Attorney General’s Office ruled that the city of DeKalb must release names of the applicants for the 3rd Ward Alderman Tuesday.
This comes after the Northern Star filed a Freedom of Information Act with the city on Jan. 13, requesting the names of the applicants for the 3rd Ward Alderman position.Public Access Counselor Cara Smith wrote “... The City has failed to establish either that disclosure of the applicants’ names would be highly personal or objectionable to a reasonable person or that the applicants’ right to privacy outweighs any legitimate public interest in obtaining information about the people seeking appointment to this public office. City aldermen are public officials who represent the residents of their ward on the City Council... As a result, when this public office becomes vacant, citizens have a legitimate interest in knowing who has applied for the position so that they may evaluate whether the individuals are qualified to represent a particular ward and discern why one applicant was appointed over others.”
Click on the following for more details: NorthernStar Newspaper | Article
Algonquin – At its March 16 Board Meeting, the Village Board of the Village of Algonquin approved a motion authorizing the Village Attorney to file suit against the owner, Amcore Bank, any and all lien holders and other interested persons, asking the court to order demolition of the half-finished structure at the intersection of Illinois Routes 31 and 62.
Click on the following for more details: McHenry County Blog |
Has anyone hear about Wolf Chevy and Wolf GMS-Cadillac in Belvidere?
[Attorney]Coen … recommended that Reichert use an experienced arbitration attorney from Chicago to make his case. The hearings are supposed to begin within 180 days of the arbitration agreement, which was made in late December.
Though the Crystal Lake lot of Reichert’s looks sparse, he said the dealership had 40 cars on the Crystal Lake lot and 20 on the Woodstock lot.
“The Woodstock lot looks OK, but the Crystal Lake lot looks empty because it’s used to having 200 cars,” he said. “It’s just a lot of blacktop out there.”
Freeport Mayor George Gaulrapp said Tuesday the city will attempt to pay its 220 employees by borrowing money, adding that the city is working to establish a line of credit in conjunction with upcoming work on Freeport landfills 2 and 3.
“We are going to borrow the money,” Gaulrapp acknowledged. “That is the only way we will make payroll, unless income tax revenues come in before (the end of the month).”
Click on the following for more details: Payroll problems - Freeport, IL - The Journal-Standard
This is apparently directly opposed to the Attorney General’s recent decision in the Richard Daley FOIA Case in Chicago.
the first reason is that … I lived by an ethics code of confidentiality.
second reason for my not turning the names over to the press is that the ordinance that regulates Aldermanic appointments does not require I do so
Click on the following for the rest of the Mayor’s letter to the editor: NorthernStar Newspaper | Article
Bloomington’s Pantagraph Editorial
When President Obama was elected, he inherited a record budget deficit, two wars and a recession with no end in sight.
Citizens can honestly disagree as to what can be done to solve these problems, but to state that President Obama could resolve these problems in one year is ridiculous.
Click on the following for more details: Give Obama time to fix country’s problems
Boone County’s rate was 22.1 percent in January, up from 17.5 percent in December; Winnebago County’s rate hit 19.3 percent, up from 16.1 percent in December.
Area cities also saw large increases. Rockford’s rate was 20.8 percent, up from 17.5 percent in December. Belvidere’s rate was 25 percent, up from 20 percent in December.
Click on the following for more details: Rockford area unemployment near all-time high in January - - BusinessRockford.com
seven-session academy will begin 6 to 9 p.m. April 8 and continue each Thursday through May 20.
The sessions will be held at the Belvidere Police Department, 615 North Main St.
Seating is limited to 25 for this free program. If you are interested or need more information, call officer Jerry Leenheer at 815-547-8007.
Click on the following for more details: The Belvidere Daily Republican. - Department to have Citizen Police Academy
For the month, dealers worldwide sold just 11,689 of the Belvidere-built models.
Click on the following for more details: Production up for Belvidere-built vehicles, sales not so much - - BusinessRockford.com
Lawmakers are permitted to spend money from their office expense account — known as a member's representational allowance — on a vehicle. They can use the car for personal use as long as that use is minimal and in the course of the lawmaker's official duties.
At least 10 House members are spending more than $1,000 a month in taxpayer money to lease cars.
Some lawmakers spend far less on leases. Indiana Rep. Joe Donnelly, a Democrat, spends $450 each month. And Rep. David Drier (R-Calif.) spends $366 a month.
Click on the following for more details: Lawmakers spend $1,000 per month on taxpayer-funded cars - TwinCities.com
Le Roy is a city in McLean County (Bloomington) , Illinois, United States. The population was 3,332 at the 2000 census.
LEROY - Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office will be asked for an opinion in a dispute over whether the LeRoy City Council violated the Open Meetings Act by failing to properly post an agenda for its Feb. 15 meeting.
In an opinion that differed from Eisner's, the city's lawyer, Bruce Beal, said this week he does not believe the city violated the law because, even though the agenda was not posted for 48 hours, it was available inside the public building.
If requested, the attorney general's office could provide guidance to the city and local residents on the issue
Document 1: Regards the opening of bids on October 13, 2009. Karl Johnson is the only board member present. The lowest bid was from Total Plumbing and Heating, Machesney Park, IL $785,634.57, second lowest $848,883.00 Go-Excavating, Decatur, Il. It will later be decided that Go-Excavating would receive the contract because Total Plumbing did not attend a pre-bid meeting.
Document 2, 3, 4 & 5: Bid of Total Plumbing and Heating. Document 3&4 have their price for pipe.
Document 6, 7, 8 & 9: Bid of Go-Excavating. Please note the pipe prices on Document 7&8. The prices are appreciably higher than Total Plumbing’s material costs. However the pipe currently being submitted for payment is appreciably less (See Document 10 A, 10B and 10C)than which Go-Excavating bid. Barring unforeseen overruns that savings should go to the project .
Document 11 Memo regarding which bid should be accepted—the lowest who did not attend the required pre-bid meeting or 2nd lowest bid who along with other 6 bidders attended the meeting.
Click on the Photocopy to enlarge:
Document # 1
Document 2
Document 3
Document 4
Document 5
Document 6
Document 7
Document 8
Document 9
Document 11
