AP source: Chicago bids for Obama library at risk - KXNet.com - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson-KXNEWS,ND

 

By JOSH LEDERMAN and SARA BURNETT
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) - Two Chicago universities competing to host President Barack Obama's presidential library are scrambling to address major concerns raised by the foundation picking the future site, with Chicago's mayor stepping in to ensure his city stays competitive.

The Barack Obama Foundation, formed by longtime Obama associates, is currently screening two proposals from Chicago and one each from Honolulu and New York. But Chicago's two bids, submitted earlier this month, set off red flags for the foundation's board over land control and university leadership, according to a person close to the foundation.

The University of Chicago, a private school near Obama's South Side home, has long been perceived as a front-runner due to its close ties to the Obamas. But the three sites the university has proposed are on Chicago Park District land, and the university can't prove it could secure the land if it was selected, the person said.

Chicago's other proposal, from the public University of Illinois at Chicago, raised questions about how changes in leadership will affect the school's future, the person said. The campus and University of Illinois system are expected to have a new president, chancellor and board chairman within the next year. The person wasn't authorized to comment publicly and demanded anonymity.

It was unclear whether either school's bid was in serious jeopardy or whether, by drawing attention to the issues now, the foundation hoped to spur the universities to act quickly to improve their proposals.

The city of Chicago confirmed that the foundation has raised concerns about the University of Chicago bid. Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Obama's former chief of staff, has been a vocal proponent for the city's bids, but putting it on park land would require the park district's sign-off.

"The mayor is committed to bringing the library home to Chicago, and we continue to work with the foundation to ensure all Chicago bids remain competitive," said David Spielfogel, the mayor's senior adviser.

Although the park district's board president, Bryan Traubert, is married to Obama's longtime friend and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, Traubert has recused himself. Other attempts to build on park land have drawn consternation from groups like Friends of the Parks. The group sued to block "Star Wars" creator George Lucas from building a museum on park acreage.

One potential option could be for city to acquire the land from the park district if Chicago is picked for the library. The city could return the property to the park system if another bid is selected. Spielfogel said all options were being considered but that Emanuel will "only consider potential sites that ensure park land remains under public control and that the surrounding communities have a say in the process."

Obama's foundation, in a statement, said it would consider many criteria before choosing the school that offers the best complete package. The University of Illinois said that Obama's foundation "should feel confident in the university leadership's ongoing support," adding that the incoming Illinois governor will fill vacant trustee slots in January. The University of Chicago had no immediate reaction.

The University of Hawaii and Columbia University, the other two schools in contention, both have secured attractive real estate that could house the library.

AP source: Chicago bids for Obama library at risk - KXNet.com - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson-KXNEWS,ND

Column: A call to service in Boone County(OHIO)

 

Forty boards in the county require 200 appointees to function effectively

Gary Moore, Judge-executive of Boone County (Photo: Provided)

CONNECT 1 TWEETLINKEDINCOMMENTEMAILMORE

As the Boone County judge-executive, one of the important responsibilities I have is to appoint citizens to serve on boards and commissions that assist the county and the region in policy formation, oversight and administration.

As you may or may not know there are more than 40 boards in Boone County that require over 200 appointees to function effectively. These opportunities exist to engage the public, utilize the vast resources and talents of our citizens and to ensure oversight of public entities. From fire protection districts to historic preservation to the Arboretum to planning and zoning (to name just a few) there are countless opportunities for citizens to be directly involved in important issues that impact us all.

Serving on a board or commission can be a rewarding experience for community service minded residents. It is an excellent way to participate in the functioning of local government and to make a personal contribution to the improvement of Boone County.

I challenge our citizens to consider serving because it is more than an opportunity to be engaged; it is also a critical responsibility that we have in a democracy to be active in decision-making bodies that make our government work. Boards and commissions make important judgments each and every day that have an enormous impact on the people and the future of Boone County. Without the participation of our citizens, we fail to serve our community.

I urge you to consider whether your talents and experience might bring value to a board or commission. The first step is to visit the county's website and learn about the many groups that utilize board members. The website address is bit.ly/BooneBoards. If you believe that one of the groups would be a good fit for you, I welcome your application!

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. The appointment process stays active year-round with expiring terms turning over at various times throughout the year. Once candidates are identified as good matches for open positions and interviewed, I make my final recommendation to the Fiscal Court. This process is important to identify quality board members.

Service on a board is important for so many reasons. It helps familiarize you with your community, develops potential community leaders and it gives you the chance to have input about which community needs should be addressed and how they should be met.

I urge every Boone Countian to give serious consideration to serving as a board member. If you have questions or need more information, please contact our Government and Community Relations Coordinator, Matthew Webster, at mwebster@boonecountyky.org. I look forward to working with you to continue make Boone County a great place to live, work and raise a family.

Gary W. Moore is the judge-executive of Boone County.

Column: A call to service in Boone County

McHenry County questions jail-rental program - News - Journal Star - Peoria, IL

Note to readers:  Boone County earlier this year signed a $85 per day agreement with the Federal Marshall Program-- that contact was negotiated with the help of an expensive consultant.  See that story at:  http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2013/12/boone-county-risks-20k-to-generate.htmlBy the Associated Press

Journal Star

By the Associated Press

Posted Dec. 28, 2014 @ 5:00 pm

By the Associated Press
Posted Dec. 28, 2014 @ 5:00 pm

WOODSTOCK, Ill. — A jail-rental program with the federal government that has produced more than $73 million in the past decade has some McHenry County officials nonetheless wondering if it is worth it.

The (Crystal Lake) Northwest Herald reports (http://bit.ly/1Aco4SX) that county taxpayers have subsidized the initiative to temporarily house detainees of the U.S. Marshals Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

They question whether the agreement should be renewed when it expires at the end of 2015.

At issue is the $85-a-day per-bed rate, which hasn't changed since 2008. A lobbyist hired by the county in 2013 found the county's cost is $131 daily. But that report has been criticized as oversimplified.

County Administrator Peter Austin claims the cost varies. He contends that while there are fixed costs to providing the jail, which the county must do by state law, the population varies, changing the daily inmate cost.

"We have to turn the oven on whether we're making 200 biscuits or 400 biscuits," Austin said.

The county has asked for an increase from its federal partners. The Marshals Service agreed to a $10-a-day increase — and then pulled its detainees the next day. Federal authorities note that other facilities in the Chicago area charge less — Dodge County, Wisconsin, has a $60-a-day rate.

ICE uses the McHenry County lockup to a greater degree than the Marshals Service did. In 2012, for example, the average daily ICE population was 241 compared to 45 in the Marshals' custody. But the county has felt additional financial pressure as the overall population has dropped from an average of 350 a day in 2011 to 180 daily this year, not counting December.

A consultant the county hired in the spring of 2013 plugged the county's costs into a federal reimbursement formula and determined the county was paying $131 per day to house the inmates.

That outraged some officeholders.

"We're talking between $40 and $50 million over a seven-year period," county board member Donna Kurtz said. "This never should have happened."

Information from: The Northwest Herald, http://www.nwherald.com

Above is from:  McHenry County questions jail-rental program - News - Journal Star - Peoria, IL

 

This problem has been a concern of some McHenry County board members for months.  SEE the First Electric Newspaper article of March 5, 2014 (http://www.firstelectricnewspaper.com/2014/03/county-board-members-ask-for-real-costs.html)

 

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

County Board Members Ask For Real Costs At McHenry County Jail

 

Controversy building behind the scenes for the past month about the cost of housing federal inmates at the McHenry County Jail finally broke out in public complaints at Tuesday's McHenry County Board meeting.  Administrator Peter Austin announced hopes the County will get more money per prisoner, at least for some prisoners, "within 30 days" but members complained bitterly that they're being kept in the dark about what it really costs to house one.
Finance Committee Vice Chairman Donna Kurtz charged that, using the only numbers available, McHenry County's lost $30 milllion keeping federal prisoners in McHenry County Jail since 2008.  "This isn't beanbag," she said.  "We're talking real money."
The problem, as Austin laid it out, is that the County houses a lot of federal prisoners for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Marshall's Service but the rate of payment hasn't gone up in six years.  The County's been trying to boost it since July of 2012 but without success, even after hiring a $60,000 expert who said he'd have a new contract in the bag by last July 31.  Austin, returned Monday from a trip to Washington,  said ICE still wasn't talking but that he'd secured an "oral agreement" with the Marshall's office, yet to be confirmed,  that he estimated would bring in another $1 million.
Former head of the Board's Justice Committee, Nick Provenzano, complained that was all very well but not much help if Members didn't know how much it cost the County to house prisoners in the first place.  Referring to an $85 per-day figure provided by consultant Joseph Summerill last year,  Provenzano asked, "Are they accurate or are they not accurate?"
"They're not accurate," replied Austin who hastened to say that the way federal officials figure prisoner costs isn't the same as the way the County figures them.  Austin said Summerill's Jail costs were more suggestive than definitive when he was trying to convince the Board to hire him..
"It was not presented to us as an illustration in a sales brochure," complained Member John Hammerand.  "It's infuriating to me."
Kurtz charged Summerill's numbers were sold to the Board as authoritative.  "Sheriff Nygren, Undersheriff Zinke and [Sheriff's Business Manager] Angela [Wood-Zuzevich] all nodded their heads," she said.  "I trust Sheriff Nygren when he said he was behind the numbers."
But if the Summerill numbers are no good, what are the real ones, inquired Member Paula Yensen?  "Many of us have been asking for that information," she complained.
FEN's been trying to find out, too., filing a Freedom of Information Act request last month for the federally-required Jail Operating Expense Information report McHenry County had to submit for the latest round of negotiations.  It lists 43 different kinds of Jail expenditures that the U.S. Department of Justice considers at least theoretically allowable in setting bed-rental rates.  In fact, FEN filed two requests since it wasn't clear who had the report and Summerill didn't reply to inquiries.  The one to McHenry County Administration was turned down on the premise the report was among "proposals and bids for any contract" and "preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations and memoranda",  both of which are exempt from disclosure.  The one to the Sheriff's Office was answered, eventually, with what appeared to be a standard printout of how close last year's Jail budget came to actual expenditures.  (Answer: pretty close.)
Austin told the County Board other newspapers have been inquiring about Jail costs, too, but said, "I'm not going to negotiate in public."

Obama warns GOP he plans to use veto pen in 2015 - Yahoo News

 

HONOLULU (AP) — Warning from President Barack Obama to congressional Republicans: I have a veto pen and, come January, I won't be afraid to use it.

Since taking office in 2009, Obama has only vetoed legislation twice, both in fairly minor circumstances. But with Republicans set to take full control of Congress next year, Obama is losing his last bulwark against a barrage of bills he doesn't like: the Senate.

"I haven't used the veto pen very often since I've been in office," Obama said in an NPR interview airing Monday. "Now, I suspect, there are going to be some times where I've got to pull that pen out."

He added: "I'm going to defend gains that we've made in health care. I'm going to defend gains that we've made on environment and clean air and clean water."

Obama's notice to the GOP came as he sought to set the tone for a year in which Congress and the president are on a near-certain collision course. Buoyed by decisive gains in last month's midterm elections, Republicans are itching to use their newfound Senate majority to derail Obama's plans on immigration, climate change and health care, to name a few.

To overturn Obama's veto, Republicans would need the votes of two-thirds of the House and Senate. Their majorities in both chambers are not that large, so they would still need to persuade some Democrats to defy the president.

But Obama said he was hopeful that at least on some issues, that won't be necessary, because there's overlap between his interests and those of congressional Republicans. On that point, at least, he's in agreement with incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

"Bipartisan jobs bills will see the light of day and will make it to the President's desk, and he'll have to make decisions about ideology versus creating jobs for the middle class," McConnell said in response to Obama's comments. "There's a lot we can get done together if the president puts his famous pen to use signing bills rather than vetoing legislation his liberal allies don't like."

Potential areas for cooperation include tax reform and global trade deals — both issues where Obama and Republicans see at least partially eye to eye. Conversely, the likeliest points of friction surround Environmental Protection Agency regulations, the Keystone XL pipeline and Obama's unilateral steps on immigration, which let millions of people in the U.S. illegally avoid deportation and get work permits.

In the interview, recorded before Obama left Washington earlier this month for his annual Hawaii vacation, Obama also offered his most specific diagnosis to date of why Democrats fared so poorly in the midterms. He said he was "obviously frustrated" with the results.

"I think we had a great record for members of Congress to run on and I don't think we — myself and the Democratic Party — made as good of a case as we should have," Obama said. "And you know, as a consequence, we had really low voter turnout, and the results were bad."

Obama warns GOP he plans to use veto pen in 2015 - Yahoo News

US farmers brace for labor shortage under new policy - Yahoo News

Once Obama's executive action starts going into effect next year, it will protect the parents of legal U.S. residents from deportation and expand a 2012 program that shields from deportation people brought into the U.S. illegally as children

This action  isn't going to bring new workers to agriculture," said Jason Resnick, vice president and general counsel of the powerful trade association Western Growers. "It's possible that because of this action, agriculture will lose workers without any mechanism to bring in new workers."

Although details of the president's immigration policy have yet to be worked out, Resnick said the agricultural workforce has been declining for a decade. Today, the association estimates there is a 15 to 20 percent shortage of farmworkers, which is driving the industry to call for substantial immigration reform from Congress, such as a sound guest worker program.

"Hopefully there will be the opportunity for comprehensive immigration reform," said Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. "That's the right thing to do for this country."

California's 330,000 farmworkers account for the largest share of the 2.1 million nationwide, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Texas comes in a distant second with less than half of California's farmworkers.

Read more by clicking on the following:  US farmers brace for labor shortage under new policy - Yahoo News

Illinois's Public Pension Crisis - Business Insider

 

But as soon as Mr Rauner was elected last month, the self-made millionaire toned down the rhetoric. The size and complexity of the public-pension mess suddenly hit him, and, aware that he had to bring together Democrats, unions and creditors, he began to backtrack.

He declares now that it is most important to "protect what is done — don't change history. Don't modify or reduce anybody's pension who has retired, or has paid into a system and they've accrued benefits."

Illinois is like Greece in one obvious way: It overpromised and underdelivered on pensions and has little appetite for dealing with the problem, says Hal Weitzman of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

This large Midwestern state, with a population of 13 million (Greece has 11 million, though a far smaller GDP than Illinois), has the most underfunded retirement system of any state and the largest pension burden relative to state revenue. It also has the highest number of public-pension funds close to insolvency, such as the one looking after Chicago's police and firemen.

The Economist

According to the Civic Federation, a budget watchdog, Illinois has piled up a whopping $111 billion in unfunded pension liabilities (see chart), in addition to $56 billion in debt for health benefits for pensioners.

The state devotes one in four of its tax dollars to pensions, which is more than it spends on primary and secondary education.

Mainly as a result of this gargantuan pension debt, Illinois's bond rating is the lowest of all the states, which means dramatically higher borrowing costs.

When the state government failed to address pension underfunding in its budget for 2014, two credit-rating agencies, Fitch and Moody's, cut the state's bond rating, which in Moody's case put Illinois on a par with Botswana. (An incensed editorial in the Chicago Tribune asked what Botswana had done to be so insulted.)

The main reason for the pension debacle is decades of underfunding. "Everything was always done with a short-term view," says Laurence Msall, head of the Civic Federation. "Unique to Illinois is the idea that you don't have to pay for pensions and you don't have to follow actuarial recommendations."

Whereas most other states follow the rules set by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB), which, however imperfect, require some budget discipline, Illinois has mostly ignored them.

In 2013 the state paid $2.8 billion into its pension fund for teachers, one of its five pension funds, but GASB rules would have required a contribution of $3.6 billion, says Joshua Rauh, a professor of finance at Stanford University. According to Mr Rauh's calculations, Illinois's true unfunded pension liability is $250 billion.

All the other calculations, he says, are based on over-optimistic assumptions. For example, the state assumes an average annual return on its investments of 7.75% over 30 years. But according to Mr Rauh it has only a 25% chance of achieving gains of that order.

After the public-relations disaster of the credit downgrades, Pat Quinn, the outgoing governor belatedly pushed for pension reform. In December 2013 the legislature approved a bill that reduces annual increases in pension payments, increases the retirement age and caps pensionable salaries.

Some have welcomed it as Illinois's first actuarially sound pension-funding scheme, designed to get the five plans fully funded in 30 years. Mr Rauh, however, thinks that the reform "does not even come close to addressing the problem".

Mr Quinn's changes were supposed to become law in June, but were held up by legal challenges and ultimately rejected by Judge John Belz of the Sangamon County circuit court for violating the state constitution, which makes existing pension contracts virtually untouchable. (Only New York and Arizona have similar safeguards in their constitutions.) Lisa Madigan, the state attorney-general, has appealed against the ruling to the Illinois Supreme Court, which is looking at the case.

James Spiotto, a lawyer at Chapman Strategic Advisors, argues that if a state is unable rather than unwilling to pay its pensions, then the well-being of its citizens overrides any constitutional protections. The Supreme Court has consistently ruled that states cannot abdicate their responsibility to provide essential services and infrastructure. And if Illinois cuts public services yet further the state will lose more taxpayers, resulting in "a death spiral," says Mr Spiotto.

Union representatives disagree with this scenario. Dan Montgomery, the president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, believes Mr Quinn's reform is illegal and that the state must find ways to pay up, for instance by extending the repayment schedule of its debt and increasing tax revenue by closing loopholes and expanding a sales tax on services.

Mr Rauner was elected on a promise that he would not make his predecessor's temporary increase of income and corporate tax permanent. But he has not explained how Illinois will cope with the loss of more than $7 billion in annual revenue. Nor has he laid out any broader plans for fixing the pensions mess.

For a start he might look to Washington and the budget deal hashed out in Congress. This allows some distressed private-sector pension plans to cut the benefits of retirees. In Illinois, though, more inventive measures may be needed.

In 2015 Illinois will either sink further into a Greek-style morass of debt or start its long-delayed rehabilitation. Mr Rauner has warned of a rough 24 months ahead. "I ain't going to be Mr Popularity for a while," he says. Voters may not mind, if he is able to sort this disaster out.

 

Illinois's Public Pension Crisis - Business Insider

Chemical company settles with Illinois neighbors - StamfordAdvocate

MCCULLOM LAKE, Ill. (AP) — A Philadelphia-based chemical manufacturer has settled lawsuits with more than 30 people who lived near a plant in northern Illinois, ending a legal battle over an alleged brain cancer cluster.

The (Crystal Lake) Northwest Herald reports (http://bit.ly/1Ab7keI ) the details of Rohm and Haas' settlement haven't been disclosed. Attorney Aaron Freiwald says his clients are satisfied with the terms of the settlement, which recently was approved by a Philadelphia judge.

The plaintiffs claimed the company released vinyl chloride into the air and water causing a cluster of brain cancer cases in McCullom Lake, Illinois. The company has denied the pollutant caused any illnesses, but has acknowledged a previous owner of the plant built a sludge pond that leaked into the groundwater.

Rohm and Haas is a subsidiary of Dow Chemical Co.

Chemical company settles with Illinois neighbors - StamfordAdvocate

 

Penny parking thrives in Sycamore - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

• SYCAMORE — Mike Stolarski didn’t need but a few minutes to grab a cup of coffee. But, being in a generous mood, he fed a parking meter enough for whoever pulled into his soon-to-be-empty parking spot.

  So, instead of costing him a penny, it cost him two.

  In a time of strained city budgets, this community of 18,000 residents about 40 minutes southeast of Rockford is one of a handful still holding onto meters that accept pennies, nickels and dimes around its town square. A penny gets you 12 minutes, a nickel buys an hour and a dime is worth two hours.

  Don’t fret if bills or a credit card is all you have — sometimes people leave a few extra pennies stacked on the meters. And the guy whose job it is to write tickets when he spots expired meters? He’s been known to feed them.

  The City Council quadrupled the fine for parking tickets a few years ago. “The fines went from a quarter to a dollar,” Mayor Ken Mundy said, adding out-of-towners often ask for a copy of the ticket as a keepsake.

  While it seems like a scene straight out of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” there’s purpose in the parking strategy.

  Mundy and others are well aware that meters translate into big money — and sometimes scandal — in places like Chicago, where parking costs as much as $6.50 an hour and a ticket is $65. But unlike many other communities, where downtowns are littered with boarded-up storefronts, theirs is thriving. And they think the penny parking meters’ message — that Sycamore is welcoming but not trying to gouge visitors — is one of the reasons why.

  “The meters encourage people to come downtown,” City Manager Brian Gregory said, which to him is more valuable than the “few thousand dollars” in revenue Sycamore would realize if it raised parking rates. Right now, he said, the city basically breaks even.

  So, why charge at all? Mundy and Gregory say the meters do exactly what the city and business owners want: Encourage motorists to park and shop without lingering too long so someone else can do the same.

  “Even though it’s just a little money, it gives you a little more incentive to watch the time,” Stolarski said.

  Merchants love the meters. “We use it as a marketing tool on Facebook,” Sycamore Antiques co-owner Ann Tucker said.

  Shoppers do, too. “It keeps the quaintness of the town,” said Kathy Tornberg, who planned on using the whole two hours her dime bought recently. “Don’t tell them, but I’d be willing to pay a quarter for two hours.”

  Page 2 of 2 - People who follow parking trends are hard-pressed to find another community with anywhere near the 316 penny parking meters still operating in Sycamore.

  “There is no other one because it serves no purpose,” opined Larry Berman, a former New York City parking commissioner. “It is just amazing.”

  There are a dozen in Silverton, Oregon. Just seven remain in Somerville, New Jersey, which once had 1,100.

  “I used to have one of the first ones (on display) in my office,” Somerville’s Clerk-Administrator Kevin Sluka said. “One day they took it for the parts.”

  In Sycamore, the penny meter’s survival is also a tribute to parking enforcement officer Giovanni Serra’s ability to fix them when they break down — and hunt down parts for those he can’t. Mundy knows what that means.

  “There’s no doubt the supply is diminishing,” he said. “We will eventually be out of the penny parking business.”

Penny parking thrives in Sycamore - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Immigrant driver's license policy makes sense - LA Times

 

Beginning Jan. 1, immigrants who are here illegally will be able to take another small step out of the shadows by applying for California driver's licenses. It took years to enact this controversial policy, but ultimately granting licenses to qualified drivers, regardless of their legal status, is the right thing to do. Why? Because, as nine other states and the District of Columbia have figured out, ensuring public safety on the roadways is more important than punishing people for being in the country illegally.

Ensuring public safety on the roadways is more important than punishing people for being in the country illegally.- 

As spelled out in AB 60, which was passed by the state Legislature and signed into law last year, applicants will have to clear reasonable hurdles. They must provide proof of identity (the accepted credentials, such as passports and birth certificates, vary by native country) and proof of California residency. They must then meet the same criteria as everyone else: Pass a written exam on the rules of the road, a vision test and a road test. At the insistence of the Department of Homeland Security, each license will note that it is “not acceptable for federal purposes” and “does not establish eligibility for employment, voter registration, or public benefits.” Nor can the licenses be used to clear security checks at airports.

 

Allowing such immigrants to drive legally acknowledges the reality that they make up a large slice of modern America: at least 3 million here in California and more than 11 million nationwide, according to the Migration Policy Institute. They work. They take their kids to school. They shop and run errands and so, yes, they drive (some insurance companies already offer policies to immigrant drivers who lack licenses). Given that reality, it is better for society to make certain that all drivers are trained and licensed, and that they understand the rules of the road and basic driver safety.

Clear statistics are unavailable on how many people have obtained licenses in the states that already issue them to those who are here illegally.

In a troubling development, reports from Maryland suggest that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have used the state's license database to target potential deportees. ICE officials say they consulted the database only to track down people they were already seeking, but the National Immigration Law Center has asked a federal judge to order the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to disclose what exactly its policies are.

The government should comply with that request, and should go one step further and renounce the practice of going on fishing expeditions in the license database, which erodes trust in the licensing system. At the same time, other states should begin making licenses available to immigrants who are here illegally and help make the roads in all states as safe as possible.

Immigrant driver's license policy makes sense - LA Times

Letter: People can make a difference for their 4-footed friends - Opinion - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

• Boone County residents recently passed a referendum for a needed new animal shelter. It is something that most everyone in this community is in agreement with. But purchasing land, getting permits, architect fees, actual construction costs and etc. always drive the expected costs up.

  Now that the funding process has begun (bonds), before we put a shovel into the ground, let’s reconsider making this new facility one that surrounding communities will want to emulate. Let’s set the bar high without increases to our property tax bills that will come with future construction overruns and administration costs.

  We can do this by partnering with a reputable no-kill nonprofit animal shelter such as an organization like Save-A-Pet (Grayslake) or Kindness, Inc. (Elgin). With this kind of collaboration, we can offer that reputable shelter the financial means ($800,000 bond) to either build new or repurpose an already existing building, in an already approved zoning area, provided they work with our animal control services by designating a separate area within this new facility strictly for animal control purposes.

  The shared expertise of both organizations would benefit all the animals either surrendered by owners or brought into this facility by our animal control personnel. Plus, the Animal Friends of Boone County already provide this community with the volunteer base needed to sustain such a joint venture. A no-kill nonprofit animal shelter collaboration is a win-win solution for everyone.

  In this era of financial uncertainty and rising property tax bills, the residents of Boone County would have a self-sustaining facility to be proud of, where domestic animals will no longer face euthanasia simply because they have no home. Afterall, in some Rockford schools, there is already collaboration with Crusader Clinic for area human health care within the schools themselves. So we see no reason why our Boone County community can’t do something similar for our domesticated four-footed friends.

  As Cathy Ward, a Boone County board member, recently stated, “I hope more people will follow their passions with elected officials to make good things happen — one voice — signing in the darkness.” Let the Boone County board hear your voice about a no-kill nonprofit animal shelter partnership. People can make a difference.

  — The Welter family, Belvidere

•  

 

Seth Rogen Surprises Interview Audience: This Is "Super-F---ing-Exc...

8 Shows to Binge-Watch on CBS All Access This Holiday

Rush Limbaugh Condemns Idris Elba as the Next Bond Because He's Black

On the Set: How Well Does Candice Accola Know Her Vampire Diaries L...

WWE Star Kevin Nash Arrested After Fight with Teenage Son

Amy Adams Says She Was "Confused," "Frustrated" By Today Cancellation

2014's Best Episodes: Jimmy Fallon's Star-Studded Opener, Orphan Bl...

How You Can Watch The Interview Online Right Now

Amazing Race's Brooke and Robbie: "This Season Would've Been Super ...

Legend of Korra Creators Confirm Same-Sex Romance

Former President George H.W. Bush Hospitalized

American Pie Star Chris Klein Is Engaged

Adam Sandler Tops Forbes' Most Overpaid Actors List (Again)

WNET Reinstates POV, Independent Lens After Viewers Rally

VIDEO: Saturday Night Live Spoofs Love Actually Scene In Unaired Sk...

Director Tim Burton and Actress Helena Bonham Carter Split

Why Is Vincent Chase a Cyborg DJ In the First Entourage Movie Trailer?

Amazing Race's Adam and Bethany: "We Knew Things Weren't Going Our ...

The Interview to Be Released in Select Theaters and VOD After All

Gone Girl's Kim Dickens Joins The Walking Dead Spin-Off

Login with:

Letter: People can make a difference for their 4-footed friends - Opinion - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Birds Are Avoiding Offshore Wind Farms, Study Finds | ThinkProgress

 

"Birds Are Avoiding Offshore Wind Farms, Study Finds"

CREDIT: flickr/ James Higgott

A new report by a leading bird research institute in the U.K. found that over 99 percent of seabirds were likely to alter their flight paths in order to avoid collision with offshore wind farms. While the analysis offers new estimates of which seabirds and what percentage change course to avoid wind turbines, it still leaves many questions about the overall impacts of wind turbines — on and offshore — on bird populations.

“It is important not to get lulled into a false sense of security by these figures,” said Aonghais Cook, a research ecologist at the British Trust for Ornithology. “Whilst 99 percent of birds may avoid turbines, collision may still be a significant risk at sites with large numbers of birds. Furthermore, there are still a number of key gaps in knowledge for some vulnerable species.”

The research was carried out on behalf of Scottish government by the British Trust for Ornithology and the University of the Highlands and Islands’ Environmental Research Institute.

While offshore wind is yet to establish itself in the U.S., in the U.K. it has been a major player for nearly a decade. Scotland is trying hard to harness this energy as part of its goal of generating 100 percent of its electricity demand from renewables by 2020. The wind-rich country is home to around a quarter of Europe’s total offshore wind capacity. In October, the Scottish Government approved four huge new offshore wind farms that could produce more than 2.2 gigawatts of power, enough to power 1.4 million homes.

According to The Telegraph, the government gave consent with “strict conditions to minimize the impact on birds and the environment.”

In response to the seabird analysis, Aedan Smith, head of planning and development at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in Scotland, said that even with this new evidence, thousands of birds could still be killed each year and that this “could even significantly reduce the total populations of some species.”

“It is therefore vital that individual developments avoid the most important places for seabirds,” he said. “Impacts on seabirds must be reduced significantly if offshore wind is to realize its full potential of delivering much needed sustainable renewable energy.”

Different birds have markedly different reactions to the wind farms, according to the report. Gannets, which are large, white birds, avoid entering wind farms altogether, while gulls are “less cautious” and may even be drawn to the sites for their foraging benefits. Even so, the report says that inside the farms, gulls “seem to show a strong avoidance of the turbine blades.”

Birds Are Avoiding Offshore Wind Farms, Study Finds | ThinkProgress

Kentucky county passes ordinance that hits at power of unions - Yahoo News

 

By Steve Bittenbender

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Reuters) - Warren County, Kentucky passed a right-to-work ordinance on Friday, making the fifth most-populous county the first in the state to pass legislation prohibiting unions from requiring members to pay dues in exchange for representation.

The ordinance, which lawmakers passed by a 6-1 vote, will face a legal challenge by unions, whose leaders said the law is designed to undercut their ability to bargain effectively for workers.

"What we're against is people benefiting from the union and not having to pay the cost," said Bill Londrigan, president of the Kentucky State AFL-CIO.

Supporters of the ordinance say it will help spur economic development in the county, about 100 miles south of Louisville that is home to a General Motors plant manufacturing Chevrolet Corvettes.

The United Automobile Workers' deal with General Motors, the parent company of Chevrolet, expires next year. The local chapter represents about 800 employees, said the local's president, Eldon Renaud.

Business groups have tried to pass similar legislation in Kentucky's General Assembly for more than a decade, but have not been able to get it through the Democratic-controlled House.

Now, a county-by-county approach is in the works. Neighboring Simpson County, on the Tennessee border, and Fulton County in the far southwestern corner of Kentucky also have passed initial readings of similar proposals.

Both counties will likely pass the law by the end of the month

Kentucky county passes ordinance that hits at power of unions - Yahoo News

Gov. Pat Quinn names Jerry Stermer as comptroller to replace Judy Baar Topinka - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

Jerry Stermer has been director of the governor’s budget office since 2012. He was the Chicago Democrat’s chief of staff during Quinn’s first term and the longtime director of advocacy group Voices for Illinois Children.

Incoming Gov. Bruce Rauner had called on Quinn to name Topinka’s longtime chief of staff as her replacement.

Stermer will serve until Rauner takes office on Jan. 12, when the new governor will announce a full four-year replacement.

There have been conflicting ideas about how to fill Topinka’s terms.

Quinn has called lawmakers back to Springfield to consider a 2016 special election so voters could have a say in the process.

Gov. Pat Quinn names Jerry Stermer as comptroller to replace Judy Baar Topinka - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

McDonald’s: Federal complaint says company is joint employer | The Rock River Times

 

the federal government on Friday, Dec. 19, charged that the company is indeed an employer that exerts substantial power over its employees’ working conditions.

In a complaint, the National Labor Relations Board’s general counsel found that the company wields such extensive influence over the business operations of its franchisees that individual franchise operators have little autonomy in setting or controlling workplace conditions. McDonald’s, for all intents and purposes, is the boss, the complaint concludes.

“McDonald’s and its corporate lobbyists continue to claim that the company has no responsibility for workers at its restaurants, but today’s complaint underscores the obvious fact that McDonald’s is the boss,” said Micah Wissinger, an attorney at Levy Ratner who brought the case on behalf of McDonald’s workers in New York City. “The complaint validates what workers have been saying over and over again — that McDonald’s requires franchisees to adhere to such regimented rules and regulations that there’s no doubt who’s really in charge.”

For nearly two years, McDonald’s and other fast-food workers across the country have been joining together and going on strike, calling for $15 and the right to form a union without retaliation. But time and time again, the company and other industry players have tried to sidestep workers’ calls, inventing a make-believe world in which responsibility for wages and working conditions falls squarely on the shoulder of franchisees.

“Rather than continue to deny the obvious, McDonald’s should own up to its responsibility for its workers and pay us enough so we can support our families,” said Richard Eiker, who has worked for the same Kansas City McDonald’s franchisee for 18 years. “Instead, the company is only fighting to keep the current system in place where wages are stuck at the bottom, even as profits grow.”

In November, the Wall Street Journal reported that McDonald’s plans to launch a “far-reaching campaign” to fight the board’s finding that the company is a joint employer, including a comprehensive lobbying effort targeting local, state, and federal elected officials and administrative bodies.

“It’s time McDonald’s put its powers to work to do something about the fact that its workers are living in poverty, instead of spending tens of millions on corporate lobbyists to defend a status quo that forces its workers to rely on food stamps to get by,” said Kendall Fells, organizing director of Fast Food Forward.

Catherine Fisk, professor of law at the University of California, Irvine School of Law, said: “The federal government’s complaint makes clear that fast-food companies like McDonald’s can’t have it both ways — it can’t exercise such pervasive control over a workplace and effectively dictate wages and working conditions while still saying that it’s not the employer. The NLRB general counsel’s complaint reflects the general counsel’s determination that evidence shows that McDonald’s exercises so much control over the operation of individual franchise restaurants that it is a joint employer with the franchise operator.”

The complaint is the latest challenge to the fast-food industry’s low-wage business model, in which franchisors reap rewards of a profitable industry, while forcing franchisees to shoulder all the risk. In March, McDonald’s workers in three states filed class-action lawsuits against the company, alleging widespread wage theft. The New York Times wrote that the suits, “argue that both the corporate parent and the independently owned franchises where many of the plaintiffs work are jointly responsible for illegal pay practices carried out by the franchises. … That strikes at the heart of the low-wage fast-food business model.”

McDonald’s: Federal complaint says company is joint employer | The Rock River Times

Lawmaker wants investigation of St. Louis prosecutor - Yahoo News

 

A Missouri lawmaker is calling for an investigation of St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch, saying he "manipulated" the grand jury in the Ferguson case. McCulloch said in a radio interview on Friday that some witnesses obviously lied to the grand jury.

State Rep. Karla May is pushing for a state investigation, saying she believes McCulloch helped sway the grand jury into the decision not to indict Ferguson officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was black and unarmed.

McCulloch, who convened the grand jury in August, was interviewed Friday by KTRS Radio in St. Louis. It was his first interview since he announced the grand jury decision on Nov. 24.

"Clearly some were not telling the truth," McCulloch said.

He made reference to one woman who claimed to have seen the shooting. McCulloch said she "clearly wasn't present. She recounted a story right out of the newspaper" that backed up Wilson's version of events, he said.

McCulloch did not return messages left with his office by The Associated Press on Friday seeking comment about May's allegations, and whether he would pursue perjury charges against any witnesses who may have lied.

Read more by clicking on the following:  Lawmaker wants investigation of St. Louis prosecutor - Yahoo News

Email phishing scams escalate | The Rock River Times

 

For each legitimate confirmation email that will be sent by online retailers, there will be just as many that are fraudulent. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is issuing an alert to consumers warning of “phishing” scam emails that may hit their in-boxes.

“The scammers target individuals posing as major online sellers like Amazon, eBay and airlines,” said Dennis Horton, director of the Rockford Regional Office of the BBB. “Because consumers are anxious to receive confirmation of their purchases, they more easily fall into the trap of opening phishing and other malicious emails.”

The criminals are out to get personal and financial information to use for identity theft and other illegal activities. As an example, the Amazon phishing emails have a subject of “Your order on Amazon.com” and return address of “amazon.com” and use actual Amazon graphics, making them appear real. The email also has an attachment that, when opened, installs a Trojan virus that creates a process that will harvest banking information, email logins and social media accounts.

Horton also suggests employers warn their employees not to open attachments from major retail sites.

“Trying to stay ahead of their Christmas shopping, employees try to get some purchases done during the work day,” Horton said. “However, doing so can put your company at risk for a security breach. Because it’s difficult to monitor this kind of activity, it’s important to make sure your company’s computers have reliable email filters that will prevent spam, protect in-boxes and check for suspicious content.”

Following are some tips to avoid becoming a victim of a cyber-crime:

• If you are expecting a confirmation receipt, log into your account and check for confirmation there.

• Be cautious of emails that contain attached files.

• Don’t respond to unsolicited emails.

• Don’t click on links in unsolicited emails.

• Avoid filling out forms contained in email messages asking for personal information.

• Make sure that all links in an email match.

• If you are requested to act quickly or are told that there is an emergency, it may be a scam.

• Install anti-virus software and keep it up to date.

• Install a personal firewall and keep it up to date.

If you might have been tricked by a phishing email, do the following:

• File a report with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/complaint.

• Visit the FTC’s Identity Theft website. Victims of phishing could become victims of identity theft; there are steps you can take to minimize your risk.

• Forward phishing emails to spam@uce.gov — and to the company, bank or organization impersonated in the email.

For more about scams, visit www.bbb.org.

Email phishing scams escalate | The Rock River Times

Taxpayers Want Voters to Decide on New N. Boone Schools Stadium

NOTE DEADLINE IS 12-29-2014

BOONE COUNTY (WIFR) -- A backdoor deal, that's what a group of taxpayers is calling the North Boone School Board's decision to use money from a sales tax referendum, to build a new sports stadium. The group is pushing an effort to let voters decide.

Pages of signatures sit in front of former North Boone school board members Glen Gratz and Tom Kinser. They're part of a group that's trying to collect nearly 500 signatures to get a referendum put on the April 7th ballot.

"My philosophy on the school board was when you went for major capital improvements, that it should be done by voter referendum," said Kinser.

Kinser believes taxpayers should vote on using $4.5 million dollars to build a new sports stadium. The school board has already approved the move.

Money from last year's one percent sales tax referendum would pay for the stadium and that's a concern for some people. In 2013, the district said those funds would likely be used to pay down debt.

Kinser said, "It could either keep property taxes from going up as much, it could keep them flat or it could keep them low."

Kinser and Gratz both admit the old stadium needs work, but they think taxpayers should make the call; a new stadium or more property tax relief.

"At least not do it in a rush without the public voting on this amount of money," said Glen Gratz.

The district will use about $116,000 every year, of the $450,000 they get from the sales tax every year, to pay off debt.

The board also just voted to use a $12.5 million state grant for debt. The district says that $12.5 million was a game-changer and they didn't expect to get that money so soon, when they were initially discussing using the sales tax revenue for debt.

If you're interested in signing the petition to get a referendum on the ballot, you can visit Curves in the Countryside Square Mall in Poplar Grove, Northern Illinois Computer Exchange at 142 W. Main St. in Capron, and Angie's Salon at 115 S. 4th St. in Capron. Group members will also come to your location if you can't make it to any of the above businesses.

Click the attached link for more information from the taxpayer group.

Taxpayers Want Voters to Decide on New N. Boone Schools Stadium

Voter's Information Guide

North Boone Consolidated Unit School District 200

Voter Information Guide: Board of Education’s Decision to Issue $4.5 million in New Bonds

Background:

At the November 24, 2014 meeting of the North Boone Unit School District 200 (NBCUSD 200) Board of Education (BOE), a resolution was passed by a vote of 5-2 to “Declare the intention to issue $4,500,000 Working Cash Bonds for the purpose of increasing the District’s Working Cash Fund.”  The BOE intends to use the majority of these funds to finance a new sports facility with the remainder funding unidentified repair projects.  The specific amounts that would be designated towards the expenses were not identified nor were specific repair projects.  It was estimated that the expected interest rate on this money would be 4% with a term of 20 years.   Based on standard amortization tables, total Bond and Interest (B & I) repayment totals would be approximately $6,500,000.

The BOE was able to pass this resolution and begin this process because of the recently enacted 1% Sales Tax Increase for Boone County Schools that has resulted in a new revenue stream of approximately $450,000 annually for NBCUSD 200.  Based on the discussion among the BOE during this meeting, there seemed to be a consensus to use approximately $100,000 of that revenue for property tax relief (abatement of taxes for annual payments on the Transportation/Administration Building) with the remaining amount to support the repayment of these new bonds totaling $4,500,000.

According to Illinois State Law, the BOE may proceed with this action unless 10% (498) of the voters within NBCUSD 200 sign a petition that this decision should go to all of the voters of NBCUSD 200 at the April 7, 2015 election.  These petitions must be filed within 30 days of the BOE publishing their intentions.  Since the notice was published on November 30, 2014, the petitions would need to be submitted by December 29, 2014.

Issue:

The District 200 voters that have provided this information see this issue as neither “for” or “against” the construction of a new stadium or unidentified building repairs.  The issue is one of tax payer rights – who should commit NBCUSD 200 to major capital projects – 5 members of the BOE or a majority of the nearly 5,000 registered voters of NBCUSD 200. At an estimated price tag of $6,500,000, this proposal would add $1,300 of debt to every voter in the taxing district.   This decision will affect property tax rates for the next 20 years and will minimize the flexibility future BOE’s will have.  We believe that all voters should have a voice to vote “yes” or “no” to major capital initiatives within NBCUSD 200.  We also believe that the expression of these rights should not divide the community, but strengthen it as decisions become “owned” by the voters because everyone was a part of the process.

Action:

If you agree that decisions of this magnitude should be decided by the all of the voters, then help us by either signing an existing petition or help us circulate them.
 

Above is from:

 http://www.wifr.com/news/headlines/Taxpayers-Want-Voters-to-Decide-on-New-N-Boone-Schools-Stadium-286274401.html

UPDATE: First Responders Settling Ambulance Dispute in Poplar Grove

North Boone Fire leaders say they need to clear the air as they continue to fight to expand their ambulance services.

The North Boone Fire District No. 3 and Capron Rescue Squad say they're working on an agreement, avoiding a legal dispute determining who can offer ambulance service in Poplar Grove.

Capron Rescue Squad has been the ambulance authority in North Boone District 3 since the late 50's, but this year North Boone decided to buy a and operate an ambulance out of its Poplar Grove station- a move than met much resistance from Capron Rescue.

Capron filed an injunction against North Boone Fire District 3 earlier this year, but dropped the lawsuit earlier this week when both sides agreed to discuss North Boone's role in offering ambulance services moving forward.

Those discussions have yet to take place but are scheduled for January 8th of next year.

"It's a little disturbing that we got so much friction from the Rescue Squad," said North Boon Fire District No. 3 board president Ray Morse. "They want us to come to a joint agreement where we'll be happy, they'll be happy and we can work together and that's all we wanted to do is work together."

---

BOONE COUNTY (WIFR) – A plan to put more ambulances on the road, which could mean quicker responses in emergencies, has been put on hold.

The Capron rescue squad filed an injunction to stop the formation of the North Boone Fire Protection Number Three’s Ambulance Squad. Capron Rescue says the fire district needed to put a referendum on the ballot which didn’t happen.

"We're not against the fire department starting ambulance service the way the law is interpreted by our lawyer they need to go to referendum before starting an ambulance service. We felt they didn't do that, they didn't take the proper steps,” said Capron Rescue Squad Board President Owen Costanza.

The Capron Rescue Squad has been around since the late 1950’s and is funded through taxes. The board’s president, Owen Costanza says people who live within the Fire District would have to vote whether to pay an additional tax for that new ambulance service. However, when it comes down to it, Costanza says his squad has no problem handling the nearly 70 runs each month.

Terry Logan’s bar, The Stumble Inn is right next to one of the stations and say she doesn’t think there are enough calls to warrant the need for two companies.

"I don't know exactly how much these folks are utilized but without knowing that, I just don't see another, I just don't see the need,” said Logan.

We spoke with the fire chief who didn’t want to comment.

We’re told the Capron Squad is willing to work with the Fire District and Costanza says he has a standing offer for the Fire District to have an ambulance assist the squad when they’re overwhelmed with calls. The Capron Squad already works with three other ambulance services for those situations.

UPDATE: First Responders Settling Ambulance Dispute in Poplar Grove

Belvidere Daily Republican: Belvidere AGREEMENT for train station

 

BELVIDERE - An intergovernmental agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation to build a new passenger railroad station near downtown has been referred to city council for action.
Aldermen, sitting as a committee of the whole, approved that step Monday night (Dec. 8) in a 9-0 vote.
This is a $2.643-million project that will be paid for entirely by IDOT, according to the agreement. The only possible city exposure would be cost overages, and any design, environmental and construction activities not included in the breakdown of costs.
Once the agreement has been approved design of the station will be done. Construction of the platform and at least a shell of the depot must be done by October 2015.
Public Works Superintendent Brent Anderson told the committee the city will pay for the work up-front, and be reimbursed by the state. City Attorney Michael Drella assured officials that "if they (state) stop paying, we stop work."
"Our exposure will be somewhat limited," Anderson said.
The project also includes a 150-space parking lot that will utilize the existing lot across Whitney Boulevard from city hall. The location of the depot has been moved slightly so it doesn't encroach on the Boone County Historical Museum property.
Here is a breakdown of the overall cost:
Preliminary engineering, $30,000; environmental, $10,000; final design, $100,000; construction project management, $60,000; parking lot, $200,000; platform, about 500 feet long, $419,375; and the depot, $1.454 million. The contingency fund, for unexpected expenditures, will be $369,655.
Alderman Ron Brooks said he saw in the agreement that IDOT could pull out of the project if the work isn't funded.
"Yes, that's typical," Anderson replied.
Belvidere will be a stop on the new train service that will link Rockford with the city of Chicago.
SURVEY FINDS VIOLATIONS
Also Monday the committee was informed by Anderson that the Environmental Protection Agency had conducted a field survey of the city's water system. The survey was conducted Nov. 19, with two violations of state standards being found.
One of them was the need to conduct a cross-connection survey of the 7,770 customers of the water system. The purpose of the study is to "identify improper plumbing arrangements that may allow contamination of the water supply through backflow or back siphonage conditions, and to require those improper plumbing arrangements to be eliminated."
Such a survey should be conducted every two years, he said, with Belvidere last doing one about four years ago.
The other violation was having a "significantly outdated" emergency management plan. That plan is to include the following items:
1. Identification of potential natural and human-caused risks to the water system.
2. Identification of personnel responsible for response actions, notification procedures and public/press relations should such an emergency occur.
3. Measures for averting or avoiding emergencies and the means for implementing the emergency response plan. An emergency management plan must be prepared and kept updated.

(5) Belvidere Daily Republican

How much does a dog adoption from Boone County Animal Shelter Cost?

 

Above is from:  http://www.boarddocs.com/il/boone/Board.nsf/files/9RJSQE67E370/$file/BCAS%20Staff%20Report%20December%202014.pdf

Carie L. Poirier appointed Public Defender for Boone County

---PRESS RELEASE---

JOSEPH G. McGRAW
Chief Judge
For Immediate Release
-STATEOFILLINOIS
CIRCUIT COURT
SEVENTENTH JUDI CAL CIRCUIT
December 10, 2014
WINNEBAGO COUNTY COURTHOUSE
400 WEST STATE STREET, SUITE 215
ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS 61101
PHONE (815) 319-4800
Contact: Thomas R. Jakeway
Trial Court Administrator
Phone- 815-319-4806
Email- tiakeway@wincoil.us
MEDIA RELEASE
ATTORNEY CARIE L. POIRIER SELECTED
AS BOONE COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER
ROCKFORD, IL - Joseph G. McGraw, Chief Judge of the 1 i 11 Judicial Circuit Court, is
pleased to announce that the judges of the I i 11 Circuit voted to select local attorney Carie L.
Poirier as Public Defender for Boone County, Illinois. The vacancy in this office will be created
as result of the planned retirement of current Boone County Public Defender Azhar J. Minhas.
Ms. Poirier will take her oath of office and assume duties as the Boone County Public Defender
on Friday, January 9, 2015.
Commenting on the selection, Chief Judge Joseph G. McGraw states, "Ms. Poirier is a talented
attorney with extensive trial experience and an established presence in Boone County. I am
confident that her administration will build upon the high quality of legal representation being
provided by the Boone County Public Defender's Office. We look forward to her service as a
key stakeholder in our criminal justice system."
Ms. Poirier completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois and received her
Juris Doctor from Northern Illinois University College of Law in 1997. Her legal career has
been dedicated to service with the Boone County Public Defender's Office. She has been
employed in the Boone County Public Defender's Office since November 1997 and currently
holds the position of First Assistant Public Defender.
######

Christmas Community Meal

 

A Climate Accord Based on Global Peer Pressure - NYTimes.com

 

Shortly before 2 a.m. on Sunday, after more than 36 straight hours of negotiations, top officials from nearly 200 nations agreed to the first deal committing every country in the world to reducing the fossil fuel emissions that cause global warming.

In its structure, the deal represents a breakthrough in the two-decade effort to forge a significant global pact to fight climate change. The Lima Accord, as it is known, is the first time that all nations — rich and poor — have agreed to cut back on the burning oil, gas and coal.

But the driving force behind the new deal was not the threat of sanctions or other legal consequences. It was global peer pressure. And over the coming months, it will start to become evident whether the scrutiny of the rest of the world is enough to pressure world leaders to push through new global warming laws from New Delhi to Moscow or if, as a political force, international reproach is impotent.

Continue reading the main story

Related in Opinion

• 

  Op-Ed Columnist: Why 2014 Is a Big DealDEC. 13, 2014

The strength of the accord — the fact that it includes pledges by every country to put forward a plan to reduce emissions at home — is also its greatest weakness. In order to get every country to agree to the deal, including the United States, the world’s largest historic carbon polluter, the Lima Accord does not include legally binding requirements that countries cut their emissions by any particular amount.

A Climate Accord Based on Global Peer Pressure - NYTimes.com

California receives U.S. funding for earthquake early-warning system - LA Times

 

California has received congressional funding to begin rolling out an earthquake early-warning system next year, capping nearly a decade of planning, setbacks and technological breakthroughs, officials said Sunday.

Scientists have long planned to make such a system available to some schools, fire stations, and more private businesses in 2015, but their effort hinged on Congress providing $5 million. The system would give as much as a minute's warning before shaking is felt in metropolitan areas, a margin that experts say would increase survival.

California earthquake safetyRead more stories

The U.S. Senate approved the allocation this weekend as part of the $1.1-trillion spending package, passed by the House of Representatives on Thursday, that will fund most of the U.S. government through the rest of the fiscal year. Officials plan to announce the funding at a news conference at Caltech on Monday.

The early-warning system is considered a major advance in seismic safety because it can give the public crucial seconds to prepare for the effects of shaking. Scientists eventually want to make alerts available to a wider public via phones, computers and special devices, such as modified weather radios, once the network is refined.

To the consternation of some, California is well behind Japan as well as Mexico, Taiwan, Turkey and other countries in using early-warning technology…..

Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey say they need $16.1 million a year to build and maintain such a network for California, Oregon and Washington state.

Large earthquakes in the Los Angeles areaRead the story

They said they need to more than double the existing network of 400 sensor stations, mostly by adding equipment in areas outside of Southern California. An additional 275 stations are needed in Oregon and Washington, said Doug Given, earthquake early-warning coordinator for the USGS.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) called the $5 million in funding "a down payment," but said "more funding is necessary to complete the system."

California receives U.S. funding for earthquake early-warning system - LA Times