Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Bid for Thomson injunction flops

Republican state comptroller candidate William Kelly's bid for an injunction against the Thomson Correctional….

Kelly had no standing to seek a temporary restraining order on behalf of the public and that by representing himself he could only argue his own interests in the case as a Chicago resident. After a hearing of less than a half hour, Agran agreed and ruled the request for a temporary restraining order stricken.

Daily Herald | Bid for Thomson injunction flops

Questions smolder about NDK explosion, pressure vessel code

An updated report from the Register Star.

On Dec. 23, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency advised that it is asking the Illinois attorney general’s office to take enforcement action against NDK Crystal “for polluting the soil, air and waters of the state.”

The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, an independent federal agency charged with investigating industrial chemical accidents, has emerged as the lead investigative agency.
The CSB conducts “root cause” investigations of chemical accidents at fixed industrial facilities. The CSB said such accidents usually stem from deficiencies in safety management systems. Other potential causes involve equipment failures, human errors, unforeseen chemical reactions or other hazards.

Click on the following for more details:  Questions smolder about NDK explosion, pressure vessel code - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

Belvidere-built Chrysler vehicles show signs of sales life in Dec.

Belvidere Plant 

, dealers moved 5,289 Calibers, up nearly 83 percent from the December 2008 totals when the economy was in full free-fall.

The Jeep Patriot also head a relatively strong month with 2,759 sales, which was up more than 6 percent from last December.

Including the Jeep Compass, dealers increased sales of the Belvidere-built vehicles by more than 33 percent. All three models are assembled at the company’s Belvidere assembly plant, which employs about 2,600 people on two shifts.

Belvidere-built Chrysler vehicles show signs of sales life in Dec. - - BusinessRockford.com

Secretary of State announces expedited title service

Expedited title requests submitted by noon will be shipped UPS overnight that day. Requests submitted after noon will be shipped UPS overnight the next day.

A $30 expedited fee will be added to the normal transaction fee.

Click on the following for more details:  The Belvidere Daily Republican. - Secretary of State announces expedited title service

AMCORE selling 12 more branches

 

The branches are all in AMCORE’s smaller markets: Dixon, Freeport, Mendota, Oregon, Peru, Princeton, Rock Falls and Sterling. But the deal involves a significant number of customers.

Midland is buying about $480 million in loans, $540 million in deposits and sweep accounts, and up to $400 million in trust and brokerage account relationships.

AMCORE still has 12 offices in Winnebago County, two in Boone and additional locations in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties, as well Columbia, Dane, Lafayette, Milwaukee and Sauk counties in Wisconsin

Click on  the following for more details:   AMCORE selling 12 more branches - - BusinessRockford.com

California State board accuses octuplet doctor of negligence

Kamrava is accused of gross negligence in three instances: transferring too many embryos, repeatedly transferring fresh embryos when frozen ones were available, and failing to refer Suleman for a mental health evaluation.

Read more by clicking on the following:  Daily Herald | State board accuses octuplet doctor of negligence

New law a roadblock to private vote

County clerks across Illinois are steamed about a new state law that, some say, violates the sanctity of the secret ballot.

Electronic scanners will be programmed to scrutinize completed ballots and reject, albeit temporarily, any that have not been fully filled out.

Election judges then will quiz the voter about whether they left portions of the ballot blank on purpose, before final submission to the ballot box.

Click on the following for more details:  Northwest Herald | New law a roadblock to private vote

Pensions laws cost Arlington Heights more than $2 million

The laws made it possible for police and firefighters to reach maximum pensions of 75 percent of their pay at 30 years rather than 35 years of service. They also provided for a surviving spouse to get the full pay if the person dies in the line of duty….While the state sets pension parameters for local police and fire employees, it does not pay for the pensions. That responsibility falls on local taxpayers

Click on the following for more details:  Daily Herald | Pensions laws cost Arlington Heights more than $2 million

Candidate files for injunction against Thomson prisoner transfer

Republican state comptroller candidate William Kelly Monday filed an injunction in Cook County Circuit Court

state Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability must halt any vote on the Thomson closing and transfer until it has held a public hearing in compliance with the Illinois State Facilities Closure Act. Kelly argued a hearing held in Sterling on Dec. 22 was insufficient because it was not within 25 miles of the prison, as specified in the law.

Click on the following to read the rest of the story:  Daily Herald | Candidate files for injunction against Thomson prisoner transfer