Friday, January 31, 2014

Ken Terrinoni to be principal for a day - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

  • Posted Jan. 30, 2014 @ 4:15 pm
    Jan 30, 2014 at 4:16 PM

    POPLAR GROVE — Ken Terrinoni, Boone County administrator, will be principal at Poplar Grove Elementary, 208 N. State St., and North Boone Middle School, 17641 Poplar Grove Road, on Friday.
    Terrinoni will visit classes and learn about the inner workings of the schools. He has served at the Boone County administrator for more than 25 years.
  • Ken Terrinoni to be principal for a day - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

    Christie Knew About Lane Closings, Ex-Port Authority Official Says - NYTimes.com

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    In a letter released by his lawyer, the official, David Wildstein, a high school friend of Mr. Christie’s who was appointed with the governor’s blessing at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which controls the bridge, described the order to close the lanes as “the Christie administration’s order” and said “evidence exists as well tying Mr. Christie to having knowledge of the lane closures, during the period when the lanes were closed, contrary to what the governor stated publicly in a two-hour press conference” three weeks ago.

    Read the entire story by clicking on the following:  Christie Knew About Lane Closings, Ex-Port Authority Official Says - NYTimes.com

    Assistant to the County Administrator

     

    Ms. Becky Tobin has resigned and the county will be advertising for the position.  Below is the draft of the posting.

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    Wednesday, January 29, 2014

    Rockford doc accused of Medicare fraud OK'd to leave jail - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

     

    Rockford doctor arrested Friday and charged with Medicare fraud returned today to federal court, where a judge granted several conditions for him to be released from custody.
    Dr. Charles DeHaan appeared in court wearing an orange Boone County Jail uniform and is expected to be released from jail later today. He lives in Belvidere.
    State officials temporarily suspended DeHaan's physician and surgeon license and his Illinois Controlled Substance license this month, citing a pattern of inappropriate sexual conduct with multiple patients.
    The cases intersected in federal court as Magistrate Judge Ian D. Johnston drew up terms for his release.
    DeHaan is not allowed to have contact with current or former patients. He's involved with a private practice called Housecall Physicians Group of Rockford.
    Any travel he does is restricted to the court districts of northern Illinois, northern Indiana and western Michigan.
    DeHaan's mother lives in Michigan, which is why he's allowed to travel there. Johnston denied defense attorney Debra Schafer's request to also allow DeHaan to visit his daughters in Oregon and Texas.
    DeHaan also is not allowed to visit assisted-living facilities where former or current patients are. The state's complaint regarding his suspended licenses involves reports of inappropriate sexual conduct with elderly patients at senior residential facilities between 2009 and 2013.
    DeHaan is still allowed to visit any assisted-living facility where his mother lives or may live in the near future.
    His wife, Mary, will be a third-party custodian responsible for reporting to the court if her husband violates any conditions of his release. DeHaan also was issued a $4,500 unsecured bond, which he doesn't have to pay but would pay if he violated his release terms.

    Click on the following for more details:  Rockford doc accused of Medicare fraud OK'd to leave jail - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

    FIAT Chrysler breaks with Italy in New York listing

    Fiat Chrysler will list in New York and drop the Fiat name from its new logo as the newly-combined carmaker pushes ahead with a politically sensitive decision to shift away from Italy.

    Fiat, which fully acquired Chrysler this month, said the two carmakers would be rechristened under a new holding company incorporated in the Netherlands known as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, with a tax domicile in the UK.

    The expected restructuring, approved by Fiat directors on Wednesday, completes a long and drawn-out marriage between the US and Italian carmakers which industry analysts say will safeguard the future of both, but which has sparked fears of abandonment in Italy.

    The new company, almost five years in the making, will list on the New York Stock Exchange with an additional listing in Milan, granting it easier access to financing. All Fiat shareholders will receive one share in the new company for every Fiat share they own.

    Read the entire article by clicking on the following:  Fiat Chrysler breaks with Italy in New York listing - FT.com

    Knights Templar cartel beware? Mexico strikes deal with vigilantes. - CSMonitor.com

    Mexico and self-defense groups reached an agreement this week allowing vigilantes to participate in local police departments or form temporary military units. Is it setting a dangerous precedent?

    By David Agren, Correspondent / January 28, 2014

    The deal

    The Mexican government and self-defense groups reached an agreement on Monday in the municipality of Tepalcatepec, 340 miles west of Mexico City, which would allow vigilantes to participate in local police departments or form temporary military units known as Rural Defense Corps. The vigilantes can keep their weapons – so long as defense officials deem the guns legal – and the federal government will supply equipment for communications and transportation. 

    “We have no interest in weapons. We want them to put an end to this organized crime and we’ll go back to our work,” Beltrán says.

    Despite the agreement, self-defense groups continued marching on communities near the city of Uruapan, local media reported on Monday.

    Beltrán was noncommittal about how closely the self-defense groups will adhere to this new agreement, saying, “The communities themselves will determine if we advance or not.”image

    Read the entire story by clicking on the following:  Knights Templar cartel beware? Mexico strikes deal with vigilantes. - CSMonitor.com

    Tuesday, January 28, 2014

    B.O.C.O. Expo provides opportunity to learn about local organizations

     

    – The Belvidere Area Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Boone County Exposition, affectionately referred to as B.O.C.O Expo on Feb. 1 at the Community Building Complex from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.  The event is expected to include over 60 vendors that represent a wide array of organizations including businesses, governmental agencies, and community organizations.

    “It is great for the community to come out to see what the local businesses are doing and what they have to offer,” said Marc Bright from Northwoods Care Centre and MapleCrest Care Centre. “It will be a packed house. We consider the B.O.C.O. Expo to be very beneficial to the vendors and everyone who attends.”

    Read the rest of the article by clicking on the the following:  rvpnews | Belvidere Daily Republican

    Monday, January 27, 2014

    Farm bill deal would cut food stamps by 1 percent - Yahoo News

     

    The measure announced Monday by the House and Senate Agriculture committees preserves food stamp benefits for most Americans who receive them and continues generous subsidies for farmers. The House was expected to vote on the bill Wednesday, with the Senate following shortly after.

    The compromise was expected to cut food stamps by about $800 million a year, or around 1 percent. The House in September passed legislation cutting 5 percent from the $80 billion-a-year program. The House bill also would have allowed states to implement broad new work requirements for food stamp recipients. That has been scaled back to a test program in 10 states.

    Click on the following for more details:  Farm bill deal would cut food stamps by 1 percent - Yahoo News

    BDR: Public Meetings

     

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    MONDAY, JAN. 27  HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER

    Cherry Valley Public Works Committee meets 7 p.m., Cherry Valley Village Hall.

    TUESDAY, JAN. 28

    Cherry Valley Planning & Development Committee meets 6:45 p.m., Cherry Valley Village Hall.

    Cherry Valley Personnel Compensation & Benefits Committee meets 7 p.m., Cherry Valley Village Hall.

    Belvidere Township Regular Board Meeting at 5:00p.m

    Check on upcoming dates by clicking on the following:  rvpnews | BDR Public Meetings

    Winter taking a toll on Boone County workers, OT budgets

    Jan. 28,2014

    By Bob Balgemann

     

    Lee has seen plenty of blustery winters but none with the kind of wind being experienced this year. "We had a lot of snow in '78-79," he said, "but not with this kind of wind. Without the wind the snow at least stays where you put it."

    The township has five full-time road department employees, including Lee, and one part-timer.

    Sub-zero temperatures also have played havoc with snow-removal efforts, said County Engineer Rich Lundin. "Salt doesn't do a lot of good when it's so cold," he said. "You need three things - salt, a heat source and traffic to mix it up. So far there hasn't been much heat."

    His overtime budget also has taken a hit with one-fourth of the annual total being spent in the last two pay periods. Much of that has been due to snow falling on Fridays, going into the weekend. More was expected last weekend as well.

    While the county's six highway department employees are getting extra money for the additional work they're also "very tired," their boss said. "Most of the time they come in around 3 or 4 in the morning so people can get to work.

    Click on the following to read all of the story:  rvpnews | Belvidere Daily Republican

    December 2013 Video Poker Income for City of Belvidere, Poplar Grove and Boone County

    City of Belvidere---$3,257.

    Poplar Grove –$731.

    Boone County—$4,653.

     

    CLICK ON THE PHOTOCOPY TO ENLARGE

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    Above figures are available at:  http://www.igb.illinois.gov/revreportsVG/VGStat201312.pdf

    What voters actually care about, in one chart

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    READ MORE BY CLICKING ON THE FOLLOWING:  What voters actually care about, in one chart

    Cemetery Tales | Rockford Retold#axzz2rc3KIJTZ

    Posted by Jillian Fuller

    In 1858, Adam Cline buried his brother on his farm, located right across the street from the Flora Church, and built a fence around the grave. Neighbors started asking to bury their family there, and the Flora Cemetery began. You may notice while walking around that many stones there predate 1858. This is because many families transferred their family members from other burial grounds, namely Charter Oak Cemetery in DeKalb County. Some common family names in the cemetery are Banks, Cline, Roach, Houdeshell, and Taylor.

    Leroy Township’s Stone School Cemetery is a pretty corner cemetery located right across the street from the Leroy Community Grange, which was once the Stone School, on Leroy Grange Road. Sadly, many stones are broken and scattered around the cemetery today. It’s still worth a walk around. According to county legend, the cemetery contains two unnamed Civil War casualties who were shipped back to Boone County to be buried.

    Situated in lot 28 of County Line Cemetery in Capron is an interesting headstone for a Captain Richard Macy, who died September 16, 1850. Although the stone is largely illegible now, it reads “Died at sea on his return from California in 1850.” According to local stories, Macy was bound for the California Gold Coast but he had to abandon his ship. On his way back, he contracted malaria and died. His wife Catherine is actually the only one buried there but the headstone certainly tells an interesting story!

    Manchester Township is home to a beautiful cemetery along North Boone School Road. The Livingston Cemetery, begun in 1847, was intended to also be the site of a Baptist Church. However, there was not a strong enough Baptist presence in the area so the church was never built. In 1919, Frank, Edwin, and Charles Thornton commissioned the building of a chapel on the site originally set aside for the Baptist Church. This chapel was built to honor the memory of William and Ann Thornton, the brothers’ parents and early settlers in the area. The chapel, which features Prairie-style architecture and stained glass windows, was designated a Boone County historic landmark in 1996. The ornate arched double gate that welcomes visitors to the cemetery dates from 1924.

    This summer, I’m excited to visit Drake Cemetery, on Dawson Lake Road, for the first time. In 2012, Andrew Geyer of Belvidere cleaned up the cemetery for his Eagle Scout project, clearing it of brush and debris. He also added a sign and gate, as well as a memorial marker which includes information on the families buried there, including the names of the three Civil War veterans who rest there

    Read more by clicking on the following:  Cemetery Tales | Rockford Retold#axzz2rc3KIJTZ

    Sunday, January 26, 2014

    The new face of food stamps: working-age Americans - Yahoo News

     

    In a first, working-age people now make up the majority in U.S. households that rely on food stamps — a switch from a few years ago, when children and the elderly were the main recipients.

    Some of the change is due to demographics, such as the trend toward having fewer children. But a slow economic recovery with high unemployment, stagnant wages and an increasing gulf between low-wage and high-skill jobs also plays a big role. It suggests that government spending on the $80 billion-a-year food stamp program — twice what it cost five years ago — may not subside significantly anytime soon.

    Food stamp participation since 1980 has grown the fastest among workers with some college training, a sign that the safety net has stretched further to cover America's former middle class, according to an analysis of government data for The Associated Press by economists at the University of Kentucky. Formally called Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, or SNAP, the program now covers 1 in 7 Americans.

    Read more by clicking on the following:  The new face of food stamps: working-age Americans - Yahoo News

    Applications being accepted for lead mitigation in Winnebago, Boone County houses - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

     

    ROCKFORD — The “Creating Lead Safe Rockford” program is accepting applications for residents interested in lead mitigation for their homes.
    Households in the CLSR program receive a full lead-based paint inspection and risk assessment of their home. Properties with lead hazards will be eligible for reduction work that includes painting, window and door replacement, or specialized cleaning.
    For information or an application: 815-720-4112, wchd.org/contentPage.asp?pgID=894

    Applications being accepted for lead mitigation in Winnebago, Boone County houses - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

    Friday, January 24, 2014

    BCJ: Wind Turbine Setback Question Defeated in Tie Vote & BCJ Editorial

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    Belvidere Area Chamber of Commerce to host BoCo Expo - Business - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

     

    BELVIDERE — The Belvidere Area Chamber of Commerce will host the BoCo Expo, a sales and marketing event, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Community Building Complex of Boone County, 111 W. First St.
    This event will showcase businesses, services and on-site demonstrations and sampling of products. Admission is free.
    Spaces are available for local businesses. Exhibitor cost: $175 for chamber members, $250 for non-members. Set-up will be from 1 to 6 p.m. Jan. 31.
    For information: 815-544-4357

    Belvidere Area Chamber of Commerce to host BoCo Expo - Business - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

    Belvidere Culver's employee charged with identity theft, 80 victims - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

    Jennifer Wheeler

    Leads from victims and business owners led authorities to the 1800 block of Crestwood Avenue in Rockford where authorities executed a search warrant. There, officers seized computer equipment, an electronic credit card writer, blank credit cards, receipts, drug paraphernalia, cannabis and a vehicle.
    Authorities said they believe that Peck obtained credit and debit card numbers while working the drive-thru window. Police say they believe there were more than 80 victims who collectively lost thousands of dollars in the past 60 days.
    On Thursday, police examined the computer that was seized during the search warrant and were able to obtain a list of potential victims. Officers will be making contact with each one.

    Click on the following for more detail:  Belvidere Culver's employee charged with identity theft, 80 victims - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

    Company backs Boone County wind farm plans despite international report - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

    By Jennifer Wheeler
    Rockford Register Star

    - A company interested in developing a wind farm in Boone County says its leaders are still fundraising for a project, despite an international news report that indicated the business would be dropping its North America ties.
    An Irish Times article from 2013 cited a document sent to Mainstream Renewable Power stakeholders stating that the development of new wind production facilities in North America was "unviable" for the company because of a lack of support and undesirable market conditions.
    Vince Green, development project manager for the Ireland-based Mainstream Renewable Power, said although the development is dependent on the economy, it would be ideal for the company to see a project through to construction.
    "(The article) makes it sound like we're cutting and running but that's not the case," Green said. "If we're pursuing additional funds or fundraising, that would suggest that we are not anticipating leaving the North America market."

    Read the entire RR Star article by clicking on the following:  Company backs Boone County wind farm plans despite international report - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

    LIHEAP Energy Assistance

    DO YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAVE HEATING PROBLEMS?  If so, please read about the LIHEAP and emergency heating programs from the Community Action Agency of Boone & Winnebago Counties.

    Community Action Agencies across the State are reporting that propane suppliers are either running short or have increased their prices dramatically.  Some agencies are reporting that their vouchers are no longer being accepted and suppliers are only delivering for cash up front.  We haven’t seen this issue yet locally that we are aware.  If you have constituents that are having this issue please let me know.

    We still have LIHEAP funds available.  I’ve attached the outreach sites.  If people are disconnected, they do not need an appointment, they can walk into our office.  The list of what people need for an appointment is part of the attachment.

    The Emergency Furnace program operates through March.  If you have home owner constituents with a non-working or non-heat producing furnace, they can come to our office as a walk-in or they can call 815-962-5019.

    We are still accepting Weatherization applications.  Interested constituents should call 815-962-5019.

     Jennifer Jaeger, Community Services Director| Community Action Agency

    A Division of the City of Rockford Human Services Department

    | phone: 815.987.8047 | fax: 815-987-8046 | email: Jennifer.Jaeger@rockfordil.gov

    Si usted tiene preguntas o necesita ayuda en espanol, por favor comunicase con Patricia Ortiz al 815-987-5711 ext. 2224

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    Here are more details concerning heating and weatherization programs. 

    LIHEAP 5

    Application sites vary with the benefit sought.  A summary of the sites for applying for each benefit is shown below. 

    CLICK ON THE PHOTOCOPY TO ENLARGE

    LIHEAP 1LIHEAP 2

    LIHEAP 3LIHEAP 4