Monday, January 30, 2012

Byron’s Prior Incidents: Wikipedia

Groundwater contamination

Radioluminescent 1.2 curie 4" x .2" tritium vials are tritium gas filled thin glass vials whose inner surfaces are coated with a phosphor. Tritium contamination has been a problem at the Byron plant.

There are two underground aquifers within the first 230 feet (70.1 m) below the power station: the upper aquifer is known as the Galena-Platteville Aquifer and the lower aquifer is known as the St. Peter Sandstone Aquifer. The two bodies of water are separated by a layer of shale and thus not connected.[8]

In February 2006, Exelon reported elevated tritium levels in the groundwater beneath the site.[9] Tritium levels were elevated in two of six test wells, according to an Exelon release in February which noted that tritium concentrations of 86,000 pCi/L were detected in standing water in underground concrete vaults along the plant's blowdown line.[10] The company iterated that the levels posed no risk to public or employee safety.[10] The report coincided with ongoing tritium concerns at the Exelon-owned Braidwood Nuclear Generating Station near Braceville, Illinois.[9] In September, elevated tritium levels were found at Byron in three monitoring wells adjacent to vacuum breaker vaults along the blowdown line. Two of the areas with elevated tritium were found in the shallow portions of the Galena-Platteville Aquifer, while the third location contained elevated tritium levels at the bottom of the same aquifer.[8] None of the September levels exceeded the 20,000 pCi/L U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standard.[8]

On April 12, 2006 the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) issued a violation notice to Exelon concerning Byron Nuclear Generating Station.[11] The notice cited the company for violations of state environmental laws related to the "impairment of resource groundwater", discharging waste-containing contaminants from areas other than the permitted points, and violations of other requirements of the plant's discharge permit.[11]

The water facility that brings water to and from the Byron Plant from the Rock River.

Due to the tritium contamination at Byron, Braidwood and Dresden nuclear power plants in Illinois, the state government passed a law requiring power plants to report the release of radioactive contaminants into the soil, surface water or ground water to the state within 24 hours.[12] Before the law was passed, companies operating nuclear plants were only required to report such releases to the federal NRC. The law was introduced by Illinois State Representative Careen Gordon and State Senator Gary Dahl, and was signed by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich on June 11, 2006 and became effective immediately upon his signature.[12] The state government only found out about the tritium releases at the Exelon-owned plants after local officials near the Braidwood plant informed them. Following that revelation, other information about spills at Braidwood, Byron, and Dresden came to light.[12] The state of Illinois contended that it was not informed of the leaks by Exelon in a timely manner.[12] The law also required all Illinois nuclear power plants to submit to quarterly inspections by the IEPA and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.[12]

Safety

A closer view of Byron Nuclear Generating Station, including both containment buildings, in August 2005

As of the second quarter of 2007, Byron Nuclear Generating Station scored in the "green" in every NRC inspection category but one. The NRC has four levels of inspection findings, the levels are color-coded and the colors equate with risk levels. Green inspection findings represent very low risk significance. Higher levels, from white, to yellow, to red, show increasing levels of risk. For any inspection findings greater than green, the NRC conducts follow-up inspections.[13] Unit One scored "green" in every category, while Unit Two scored "white," a step down from "green," on the inspection of the heat removal system.[14][15] The inspection covered several other significant areas, including unplanned scrams, the alert and notification system and the emergency AC power system.[14] From 2001–2005, no inspections of Byron Nuclear Generating Station found any condition that merited a greater than "green" designation, during the same time period inspection found 71[16] green conditions at the Byron plant.[17]

Byron, like most U.S. nuclear plants, has been the subject of various actions by the NRC. Escalated Enforcement Actions represent one type. From 1997–2007 the Byron plant has received five such actions, two of which resulted in a total of $150,000 in fines.[18] A $100,000 fine was issued on February 27, 1997 due to problems with excessive silt build up in two separate locations at the Byron facility; the NRC fined the plant $50,000 for each problem.[18][19] The NRC levied an additional $55,000 in fines in October 1997 when the plant failed technical specifications surveillance guidelines. Specifically, they violated rules that require the Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) pump casing and discharge piping high points be vented once every 31 days.[20] The potential safety consequence of the violation affiliated with the second fine was considered "low."[20] As of 2007, the last NRC Escalated Enforcement Action against the Bryon Station came in 2005 when an engineer deliberately falsified surveillance reports to show he had completed work that was incomplete, though the plant could have been fined up to $60,000 the NRC chose not to impose the fine.[18][21]

A small fire occurred at the plant on the morning of February 24, 2006.[22] The fire was confined to the Unit 1 Refueling Water Storage Tank (RWST) heater. Initial attempts to extinguish the fire were unsuccessful, following those attempts a breaker was opened and the heater was allowed to deenergize which extinguished the fire. Units 1 and 2 were operating at 100%, but neither reactor was shut down as a result of the fire.[22] As a result of the fire the plant declared an "unusual event," the least serious of the four categories of emergency declarations by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.[23]

On January 30, 2012, the Byron Unit 2 was shutdown and depressurized after suffering a power outage affecting power generation at the unit. Steam was vented to prevent over-pressure of the reactor core, while the turbines remained offline. A small amount of radioactive tritium was released into the local environment during the initial venting procedure. [24] [25]

Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_Nuclear_Generating_Station

The latest news from Byron Nuclear Plant

Click on the following to read the entire story:  http://news.yahoo.com/ill-nuclear-reactor-loses-power-venting-steam-203743828.html
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Walker’s Budget: balanced or unbalanced?

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Just before New Year's Eve, without any press conferences or news releases, Walker's top lieutenant sent a letter to federal health secretary Kathleen Sebelius verifying that Wisconsin has a budget deficit through June 30, 2013.

He broke that campaign promise, big time. Using GAAP principles and his administration's own numbers, Walker's budget will have a $3 billion deficit by June 30, 2013. Our non-partisan legislative fiscal analysts, however, say Walker's budget is balanced based on the accounting principles our state laws require we use for budget purposes.

Click on the following to read the whole story:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jon-richards/scott-walker_b_1224849.html

Attention Landlords: Belvidere proposes new ordinance requiring registration of all landlords

The following ordinance is being proposed by the Belvidere City Council under its new Home Rule rights.

 

ARTICLE IX

RENTAL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES

22-900 PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY.

a. This Article is adopted under the City of Belvidere’s Home Rule Authority pursuant to Section 6 of Article 7 of the Constitution of the State of Illinois of 1970.

b. The City Council of the City of Belvidere specifically finds that, according to the 2010 Census, approximately 30% of all residential housing in the City of Belvidere is rental, non-owner occupied housing. The City Council further recognizes that rental housing represents a disproportionate share of the residential housing that has fallen into a state of disrepair within the City. Registration of landlords and enforcement of building and maintenance codes will assist tenants by ensuring a minimum level of habitability within structures while also protecting the property values of surrounding lots. This Article will also assist Landlords by providing additional mechanisms to manage tenants who do not maintain their properties or engage in illegal activities.

22-901. Definitions.

(a) Department shall mean the City of Belvidere Building Department.

(b) Landlord means any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation or other legal entity that owns, operates, maintains or offers for rent any rental residential property within the City. The term shall also include any beneficial owners of an Illinois Land trust holding such rental residential property as well as the trustees of any such trust or members of any such limited liability company

(c) Rental Unit or Unit means any residential structure or dwelling unit intended to be rented or leased for residential purposes including, but not limited to, non-owner occupied single family residences, townhomes and condominiums. In the case of multi-dwelling unit structures (including but not limited townhomes), each individual dwelling unit shall be considered a separate Unit. The Rental Unit or Unit shall include all exterior portions of each lot as well as all common areas.

(d) Tenant shall mean any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation or other legal entity that rents or leases a Unit from a Landlord for residential purposes. The term Tenant shall also include all those residing in a Unit whether or not they are actual signatories to a lease or rental agreement.

22-902. Registration Required.

(a) No Landlord shall rent, advertise for rent or offer for rent any Unit unless they hold a current and valid Registration Certificate (RC) issued by the Department in the name of the Landlord for the specific Unit. A separate Registration Certificate is required for each individual Unit. Further, no person shall occupy any Unit unless a valid and current Registration Certificate is in effect for that Unit.

(b) Every Owner of every lot upon which is located an occupied or vacant single family dwelling, multi-family dwelling or other structure, unless exempted under this Article, shall register each such lot and/or unit on forms to be provided by the Department. The Department shall issue a RC for each such lot and/or unit upon receipt of an application and the appropriate fee.

(c) It is unlawful for any tenant to reside in a Unit for which is not registered under this Article. It is also unlawful for a Landlord to allow a tenant to remain in any Unit without a valid RC.

(d) Each Unit shall be registered by the Landlord annually. Every Registration Certificate shall expire on April 30 regardless of the date of its issuance.

(e) Each Landlord shall maintain a copy of the rental certificate for each Unit and shall present it upon demand by any City employee or by any tenant or prospective tenant. The Landlord shall keep each Rental Certificate for period of three (3) years after the date it expires.

(f) Hotels, motels, hospitals, and units of local government or governmental agencies and owners who occupy singled family dwellings or duplexes are exempt from this Article.

22-903. Registration Certificate.

(a) Application for a Registration Certificate, and renewal of a Registration Certificate, shall be made on forms provided by the Department. No RC shall be issued unless the rental unit complies with all portions of the City of Belvidere Municipal Code, all City Ordinances and all laws of the State of Illinois. Any statements made by the Owner on such application shall be frima facia proof of the statement in any administrative or court proceeding instituted by the City. Every RC shall identify the total number of residents permitted in the Unit.

(b) No RC shall be issued or renewed until all sums owed the City of Belvidere by the Landlord or in relation to the Unit, including but not limited to, water fees, sewer fees, inspection fees, any fines or costs owed by the Landlord and license fees are paid in full. As set forth in Chapter 114 of the City Code, all water and sewer fees are ultimately the responsibility of the Landlord. The fact that the tenant of a Unit has established a water and sewer account in the tenant’s name shall not relieve the Landlord from the obligation of paying any water or sewer bill when due.

(c) If the Landlord is not a resident of the City, the Application must identify a resident of the City of Belvidere as a local Manager. The Landlord shall authorize the City to make all communications through the Manager and shall authorize the Manager to take any action necessary relating to the operation of the Unit and compliance with City Code. By designating a local Manager, the Landlord is designating the local Manager as his agent for purpose of receiving any and all notices of code violation concerning the Unit and all process in any court proceeding or administrative enforcement proceeding to enforce the City of Belvidere Municipal Code concerning the Unit. The Landlord may designate a Tenant as the local Manager.

22-904 Penalties and Remedies.

(a) Each day that a Unit is held or operated in violation of this Article shall constitute a separate offense.

(b) Any person, Landlord or Owner of any Unit, who violates this Article, shall in addition to any other lawful relief, be fined in accordance with Section 1-9 plus court costs and costs of prosecution, including but not limited to the City’s reasonable attorney’s fees.

(c) The provision of false or misleading information on any application for a Registration Certificate shall constitute an offense under this Article and the Landlord and/or other person providing such false or misleading information shall be fined not less than $500.00. It is an affirmative defense to this subsection that the false or misleading information was transmitted inadvertently and without intent to circumvent this Article or any other provision of the Municipal Code.

22-905 Tenant Information.

(a) Every written lease shall inform the tenant of the maximum number of inhabitants permitted in the Rental Unit pursuant to the City of Belvidere municipal Code.

(b) The Tenant shall certify in writing to the Landlord the name of every person that reside (living in the Unit as their primary residence for 15 days or more) in the Unit. The Landlord or local manager shall provide the Department with this information upon demand by the Department.

22-906 Tenants and Leases:

(a) No Unit shall be leased or rented to any person except by a written rental agreement or lease.

(b) Any Landlord or local Manager may utilize a crime free lease addendum within any written lease or utilize a clause similar to a crime free lease addendum. In the event, a Landlord or local Manger utilizes such a clause or addendum, it shall be separately initialed by the Tenant executing the written lease. An example of a crime free lease addendum shall be available, free of charge, from the Department. The purpose of the clause is to make certain criminal activity a material lease violation entitling the Landlord to initiate eviction proceedings under the Forcible Entry and Detainer Act (735 ILCS 5/9-101 et seq.)

22-907 Fees.

The annual fee for a Rental License shall be $25.00, per Unit. The fee is intended to defray the cost of administering this Article.

BCJ: Township Donations

The following is taken from the January 27, 2012 Boone County Journal which is available free of charge at merchants across the county and on-line at:  http://www.boonecountyjournal.com/news/2012/Boone-County-News-01-27-12.pdf#page=6

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General Assistance And Township Donations


By James Middleton


Since last September, the general assistance fund and how Belvidere Township makes donations have been items of interest. Letters to the Editor have appeared and Belvidere Township supervisor Patrick Murphy said in an
interview, “There has been a lot of misinformation about the township general assistance fund and how we can make
donations.”


The township general assistance fund is one element of Township operation that was discussed with Mr. Murphy and Terri Bullard, a township worker that manages the general
assistance fund. An interview occurred two weeks ago when these matters were discussed. Additional assistance was obtained from counsel for the Township, Keri-Lyn
Krafthefer of the law firm, Ancel, Glink, Diamond, Bush, DiCianni & Krafthefer P.C. of Chicago.

 
Duties and activities vested with township government in Illinois are sanctioned by state law and found, in part, in the Illinois Compiled Statutes at the corporate powers of townships.


Belvidere Township came to public attention in
September when Linda Carter, the leader of the Boone County Food Pantry in Capron, appealed to the Township for financial assistance. Those that support the Food Pantry
believed because, so many obtaining food assistance came from Belvidere and Belvidere Township, the Food Pantry deserved to receive help.

 
However, Mr. Murphy said, “We can’t do just what we want with our money.” He said that Illinois law guides how donations can be made by a township and how money can emerge from the general assistance fund.

 
From September until the request for $5,000 was denied in late December, efforts were made by the Township Board  to obtain financial information from the Food Pantry. By
the December 27 meeting, the Board voted to deny the request. One reason given for the denial suggested that the Food Pantry did not have a specific means to segregate
money granted to them to serve only Belvidere and Belvidere Township clients. This is a common criticism of many agencies that solicit aid; the group asking for assistance does not provide a reasonable method to provide assurance that the money granted will serve those in need.

 
Ms. Bullard said, “We wanted an audited financial statement from the Food Pantry.” Their audited financial statement, dated June 30, 2010 by the accounting firm of Patrick Fowler & Associates, was received by the late
December Township meeting.

The auditor noted in a letter, “As discussed in Note 1, the Organization’s policy is to prepare its financial statements on the basis of cash receipts and disbursements. Consequently,
certain revenues are recognized when received rather than when earned and certain expenses are recognized when paid rather than when the obligation is incurred. Accordingly, the accompanying financial statements are not intended to  present financial positions and results of operations with generally accepted accounting principles.”

 
Some have criticized the Township for not granting funding to the Food Pantry from the general assistance fund. Others criticized the Township for filing levies at/or
in excess of $2 million and holding fund balances in their general assistance fund of more than $250,000. However,  Illinois law provides guidance that identifies qualifications
needed to receive aid from general assistance and how grants from Township revenues may occur.


Ms. Bullard explained, “General assistance money from the Township goes to help men and women in need and not for families.” She explained that some in need bypass Medicaid for medical coverage and come to the Township and could be liable for medical costs for a family. The Illinois Public Aid Code explains how and when a township
or other qualified governmental entity could be liable to pay for medical needs.


Funding for this type of help could not come from the general assistance fund. Medical funding for those in need would have to come from other areas of the Township budget. Ms. Bullard opined if the Township was met with
significant medical needs the effect could be devastating.

 
Illinois law at 305 ILCS 5/6-1 of the Illinois Public Aid Code at General Assistance provides for a number of methods a local governmental unit can dispense aid money. At the outset of this entry the language identifies, “Financial
aid in meeting basic maintenance requirements shall be given under this article to or in behalf of persons who meet the eligibility conditions of Sections 6-1.1 through 6-1.10.”
of “illness or disability.”

 
Ms. Bullard added, “Money for donations to the Food Pantry would not have come from the general assistance fund.”

 
Meeting the qualifications for assistance is a major element of concern for Ms. Bullard and Mr. Murphy. Because Mr. Murphy is the Belvidere Township supervisor  he has to approve all funding distributed from the general  assistance fund. Ms. Bullard meets with, interviews and cross-checks the applications from those seeking aid. Some
applicants are not truthful in their application and checking the multiple-page applications is a major part of Ms. Bullard’s job.


Mr. Murphy said he and Ms. Bullard are the only people at the township that know the names of applicants. “The trustees don’t know the names of the recipients and I am
ultimately responsible for the decision on general assistance. Terri obtains the information,” said Mr. Murphy.


One precise element of the law concerns drug convictions of those that apply. The law identifies at 305 ILCS 5/1- 10(a) that any person convicted of a Class X, a Class 1
felony or a comparable federal crime is not eligible for general assistance. Ms. Bullard added, “The law does not bar others but conviction of a Class X or Class 1 will deny
assistance.”


“We must do our due diligence to protect taxpayer revenue and the form is sizable,” said Mr. Murphy.


Belvidere Township administers general assistance needs for the other nine townships in Boone County. Individuals seeking aid in another township are referred to Belvidere.

Ms. Bullard said that the process is the same for all townships. She interviews the applicant, checks their application and informs the township if the person qualifies. The township then pays Belvidere Township for the aid that
is given.

If the applicant is asking for help with their rent, the township, if needed, can engage the landlord to negotiate a contract. After an agreement is reached, a check for rent
from the township goes to the landlord. In townships and in other counties, extended rental agreements are entered into
to help those is need, to avoid eviction.

 
Those that come to the township for aid do not need to have a local address. If they enter, apply and qualify they will receive assistance.


Participation in the general assistance program, Ms. Bullard said, encourages people to be employed. If the individual needs ongoing assistance they must provide
reports of their search for employment. In some townships,  those seeking ongoing aid can engage in community service, similar to what is offered those convicted of crimes as a part of their probation. In this instance, those receiving ongoing aid work for the township to provide a return for the aid they obtain.

One other question that arose last fall asked why
Belvidere Township provides a grant to the Salvation Army
and not to the Boone County Food Pantry. The answer
relates to the willingness of the entity to confirm the use of
grant money that they receive and also to engage in a formal
contract between the township and the entity to receive the
grant.

The money given to the Salvation Army goes direct to
their Belvidere office and money from that grant is only
used for specific purposes. Mr. Murphy said, the contract
with the Salvation Army specifies that the money stays in
Belvidere to help Belvidere people. He added, “Our check
goes to the Belvidere office and can only be used to pay for
utilities or other needs to assist the needy in Belvidere. The
Salvation Army has been a collaborative partner with us.”

One concern with the Food Pantry and other organizations
that ask for help is the assurance that the help they provide
will be for Belvidere and Belvidere Township residents
only. The extent of the Township jurisdiction extends across
the geographic area that they govern. It was the belief of
the Township Board that limited assurances covering who
received their help could not be granted by the Food Pantry
and that led to the decision to deny their request for aid.

Mr. Murphy was correct at the outset of the interview
when he said that there has been misinformation delivered
regarding how Belvidere Township operates their general
assistance fund and how they provide grants to those that
ask for help. Illinois state law is rather explicit regarding
how general assistance funding may be used. Further, there
is a potential obligation for ongoing or catastrophic medical
care for those that qualify.

Given required elements in the law, the policy of the
Township to maintain fund balances for those funds that
could be tapped for such needs are aspects of the operation
of the Township that many might not have known. Township
government in Illinois is the only branch of local governance
that specifically identifies an obligation to extend help to the
“poor and the aged.” Because of this mandated obligation
and given the economic conditions today, the policy of
Belvidere Township might be well taken.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Beloit, Wisconsin: the next Ho-Chunk Casino

The following website is being advertised on many searches for Beloit sites.  Click on:  http://goodforbeloit.org/ to see for yourself

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Tax Foundation ranks Illinois a more favorable tax climate than Wisconsin

Illinois is ranked #28 (middle rank of 50 states+ versus Wisconsin’s #43 (8th worse state of 50 states)

 

The following is taken from:  http://taxfoundation.org/research/show/22658.html

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Apple’s Blow out earnings have a huge cost

 

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In China, Human Costs Are Built Into an iPad

By CHARLES DUHIGG and DAVID BARBOZA
Published: January 25, 2012

In the last decade, Apple has become one of the mightiest, richest and most successful companies in the world, in part by mastering global manufacturing. Apple and its high-technology peers — as well as dozens of other American industries — have achieved a pace of innovation nearly unmatched in modern history.

However, the workers assembling iPhones, iPads and other devices often labor in harsh conditions, according to employees inside those plants, worker advocates and documents published by companies themselves. Problems are as varied as onerous work environments and serious — sometimes deadly — safety problems.

Read more by clicking on the following: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/business/ieconomy-apples-ipad-and-the-human-costs-for-workers-in-china.html?_r=1

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Casino gives pay-off to worthy seniors

The city of Elgin helps out many of its seniors with $200 checks.

The city has had the program in place since Grand Victoria Casinolate 1996. To qualify for the money, a person had to be 65 or older, live Elgin, have a Senior Citizen Homestead Exemption, and be the owner of a home or mobile home for the 12 months in the year the rebate was issued.

Qualifying homeowners received a $200 check, while qualifying mobile home owners received $35. Since the program’s start, the city has rebated $9,387,015 of its share of casino money with it.

Click on the following for all of the story:  http://couriernews.suntimes.com/10187867-417/swan-song-for-elgins-senior-tax-rebates.html

Romney Taxes

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The details are coming out slowly as the actual tax returns themselves have not been released. 

The New York Times has some of the most detailed information thus far.  There is a minute by minute report as details come out.  Click on the following to see the most current releases:  http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/24/inside-the-romney-tax-returns/?hp

Monday, January 23, 2012

Burial problems found at VA cemeteries

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VA officials said the problems at seven of its national cemeteries were largely the result of sloppy work during renovations. Headstones and markers were temporarily removed from the ground and reinserted in the wrong places.

Click on the following to read the entire story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/burial-problems-found-at-va-cemeteries/2012/01/23/gIQAYXLFMQ_story.html?wpisrc=al_national

Newt Gengrich’s contract with Freddie Mac

The short contract is available on line at:  http://www.healthtransformation.net/galleries/default-file/FreddieMacAgreement.pdf

 

What is being requested by many now is on page 2, monthly description of Services performed.

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Two Boone County Board Members leaving

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Click on the following to read the story:  http://www.belvideredailyrepublican.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7366:smith-resigns-county-board-seat-dini-withdraws-from-primary&catid=106:belvidere&Itemid=508

Tricia Smith’s resignation also reported by Rockford Register Star,  available at: http://www.rrstar.com/blogs/kevinhaas/x847553586/Tricia-Smith-resigns-from-Boone-County-Board

Newt Gingrich’s 1994-1997 Ethics Investigation

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Click on the following to read this 800+ page report:  http://ethics.house.gov/sites/ethics.house.gov/files/House%20Report%20105-1_1.pdf

Interactive: Gay marriage laws in the U.S. by state

The changing nature of gay marriage/civil unions is shown for various years by clicking on the following link: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2017315344_interactive.html

1995—Present

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Illinois Supreme Court gives OK for cameras in trial courts

By Scott Reeder | Illinois Statehouse News

The new policy includes some restrictions:

• Jurors and potential jurors may not be photographed.

• Cameras and recording devices will not be allowed in juvenile, divorce, adoption, child custody and evidence suppression cases.

• No more than two television cameras and no more than two still photographers will be allowed in a courtroom at one time.

• Victims of violent felonies, police informants and relocated witnesses may request that the judge prohibit them from being photographed.

Although the policy goes into effect Tuesday, the chief judges of Illinois’ 23 circuit courts are responsible for implementing the policy. Once a chief judge of a circuit court applies and is approved by the Supreme Court, news media may request to cover eligible cases electronically in that circuit court.

Members of the news media are responsible for applying for electronic coverage each time they want to cover a particular case. Specific details of the application process will be released Tuesday.

Read the entire story by clicking on the following:  http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/7506/illinois-supreme-court-gives-ok-to-cameras-in-trial-courts/

Sun-Times no longer makes political endorsements

The Chicago Sun-Times said in an editorial published Monday that it will no longer make endorsements in the upcoming election.

The following is taken from: http://www.suntimes.com/opinions/10174893-474/editorial-why-we-will-no-longer-endorse-in-elections.html

 

Seimageventy-one years ago, Mar­shall Field III founded this newspaper to create a bully pulpit, on the editorial page, for America’s entry into the war in Europe and for President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s domestic agenda, the New Deal.

Somebody in the Midwest, Field believed, had to stand up and counter the isolationist and anti-Roosevelt fulminations of Col. Robert McCormick and his Chicago Tribune.

It was an era, even then drawing to a close, when many American newspapers were unabashedly partisan, and not necessarily only on the editorial page. Not unlike news shops on cable TV and the Web today, they catered to a core of readers who thought very much like them.

Those days are gone. Most good newspapers today attempt to appeal to the widest possible readership, including people of every political persuasion, by serving up the best and most unbiased news coverage possible. They want to inform you, not spin you.

With this in mind, the Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board will approach election coverage in a new way. We will provide clear and accurate information about who the candidates are and where they stand on the issues most important to our city, our state and our country. We will post candidate questionnaires online. We will interview candidates in person and post the videos online. We will present side-by-side comparisons of the candidates’ views on the key issues. We will post assessments made by respected civic and professional groups, such as the Chicago Bar Association’s guide to judicial candidates.

What we will not do is endorse candidates. We have come to doubt the value of candidate endorsements by this newspaper or any newspaper, especially in a day when a multitude of information sources allow even a casual voter to be better informed than ever before.

Research on the matter suggests that editorial endorsements don’t change many votes, especially in higher-profile races. Another school of thought, however — often expressed by readers — is that candidate endorsements, more so than all other views on an editorial page, promote the perception of a hidden bias by a newspaper, from Page One to the sports pages.

In keeping with this effort to go the extra mile to reassure you of our commitment to nonpartisanship, we also have decided to extend to our senior management the journalist code of ethics ban on making contributions to political campaigns.

We pride ourselves in offering a smart editorial page that is deeply engaged in vital civic issues, and we will continue on that course. We have in the last year singled out for special attention a handful of issues on which we believe great progress must be made for the sake of Chicago’s future, beginning with the quality of our public schools, the health of our local economy, the city’s and state’s shaky finances, the crying need for alternatives to prison for low-level nonviolent offenders, and the integrity of our political system. We want a cleaner lake and a cleaner river. We want safer parks and streets. We want an end to daily traffic gridlock.

We’ll keep pushing.

But our goal, when we’re not too much on our high horse, is to inform and influence your thinking, not tell you what to do.

Especially with respect to endorsements.

As many of you have told us, you can make up your own mind, thank you very much.

We endorse that opinion.

John Barron

Publisher

Tom McNamee

Editorial Page Editor

Illinois Sen. Kirk suffers stroke

spokesperson for Sen. Mark Kirk says the Illinois Republican has suffered a stroke and has undergone surgery.

Read more by clicking on the following:  http://www.nwherald.com/2012/01/23/illinois-sen-kirk-suffers-stroke/a443cqw/

Chicago Tribune coverage:  "Due to his young age, good health and the nature of the stroke, doctors are very confident in the Senator's recovery over the weeks ahead.  Click on the following for more details:  "http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-sen-mark-kirk-hospitalized-after-suffering-stroke-20120123,0,6664285.story

Sunday, January 22, 2012

BDR Coverage of Capron Rescue continues

Click on the following to read this on-line article:  http://www.belvideredailyrepublican.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7354:lawsuit-dismissed-against-3-capron-rescue-squad-officials&catid=107:poplar-grove&Itemid=509

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"…personal purchases allegedly made with district funds, is being investigated by the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, he said.

Sikich’s report states it examined 40 transactions during the 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 fiscal years and found 19 of them had no supporting documentation.

‘Of these 40 transactions, we noted three instances where personal purchases were made using district funds,’ the report states. ‘In one instance, the district was reimbursed by the individual who made those purchases. However, there were two instances where the district was either not fully reimbursed “

Saturday, January 21, 2012

The County Board of Health spends $16,266 and what did they get?

An earlier posting (http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2011/12/update-two-boone-county-board-members.html) spoke of a FOIA request from two county board members who wished to read the expensive personnel report that the Board of Health ordered up.  The Health Department’s answer was that the Health Department/Board of Health did not have a copy of the report and they would obtain a copy and send it to the requestors. 

Apparently the Boone County Journal also requested the controversial report.  Below is the BJC story in this weeks paper.  Below ”The Report” story is a photocopy of the actual report.

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Click on the photocopy to enlarge:

Health depart--the report #1

Health depart--the report #1

Health depart--the report #2

Click on the photocopy to enlarge:

Health depart--FOIA report #1Health depart--FOIA report #2

Friday, January 20, 2012

Capron Food Pantry explains their operations

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The following is taken from Page 2, of the Boone County Journal, which is available free of costs at merchants across the county and on line at:  http://www.boonecountyjournal.com/news/2012/Boone-County-News-01-20-12.pdf#page=1

 

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Editor,
Recently there have been many rumors regarding our pantry and the clients we serve. I have decided to write this editorial to set the record straight regarding the people we
serve, what geographical area we serve, and what guidelines we follow.

We receive USDA foods each month and in order to receive food products from this agency, we must follow their guidelines. The monthly income allowed by the USDA for a one person household is $1,180.00. For each
additional household member, we add $414.00. Each client signs a signature sheet that is sent into USDA at the end of
each month. This signature sheet states that anyone who gives false information regarding they income, there is a $25,000.00 fine and up to 5 years in jail and each client is informed of this information before they sign the signature
sheet. Each client is screened every time they visit the pantry and they are entered into a client data program where their file is updated each time they visit our agency.

Regarding the geographical location of our clients, we serve all of Boone County. When someone arrives at our facility, they must provide us with proof of residency. To do this, they bring in two pieces of mail that come to their home (such as a utility bill) with a recent date. They must also bring in a picture ID proving they are who they say they are. Each new client gives us the names and birth dates
of everyone in their household as well as any income that the household receives each month. This income should include child support, unemployment benefits, disability,
social security, and the amount of each family member’s paycheck.


There has been some concern that some of our clients drive up in a nice vehicle or they dress nice. Just to set the record straight, we have volunteers who pick up clients and bring them to the pantry. Many of our clients receive
transportation assistance from friends, neighbors, or family members. In some cases, people lend our clients their vehicle for a few hours to pick up food, non-food products,
clothes, etc. from our facility. Some of our clients have had good paying jobs but have been laid off, their unemployment benefits have run out, and they are forced to come to our pantry to feed their family. These nice cars are the same cars they had when they were gainfully employed. Let’s face it…..how many of us are just a paycheck away from needing
assistance from a food pantry.


It is my hope that this editorial will set the record straight once and for all. If anyone has any doubts about what we do here at the Belvidere/Boone County Food Pantry or about
the people we serve, I would ask you to take a tour of our facility and spend some time here when we distribute food.


Respectfully Submitted,
Linda Clark, Executive Director

The water costs in Candlewick—how much is enough?

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Click on the following to read the story:  http://www.belvideredailyrepublican.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7333:candlewick-lake-holds-public-forum-on-controversial-water-sewer-rate-increases&catid=107:poplar-grove&Itemid=509

Index for Concerned Catholics of Boone County

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Just click on the title to read the posting:

 

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