2016 Primary—just about a year away

The primary for the 2016 election is just a year from now.  Jeb Bush, Wisconsin Governor Walker have all threw their hats in the ring for President.

As far as local elected office, “big offices” in Boone County will undoubtedly be determined by the Republican Primary.  The biggest is County States Attorney.  Other than circuit court judges it garners the highest salary—$166,508 plus $16,114 in paid health insurance.  See  page 2 of: http://www.boonecountyil.org/sites/default/files/images/employee%20compensation%20FY%202014(2).pdf

Here is some campaign literature from 2008 from the current states attorney.  As of yet, no word on whom are running in the primary.  Perhaps a third term for Mrs. Courier?

Boone County commission supports zoning amendment that would limit wind turbines - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

…..According to Gina DelRose, associate planner for the Boone County Planning Department, if the amendment is passed by the County Board, "It will make it significantly more difficult" for the Ireland-based renewable energy company Mainstream Renewable Power to put turbines in Manchester and LeRoy townships, where it has expressed interest in building a $300 to $400 million wind farm with as many as 100 turbines on 12,000 acres.

With the amendment's new distance requirements in place, "without a waiver there’s not a single property (in the county) that could have a wind farm," DelRose said.

Cleverdon and Kenney's amendment would allow landowners to waive the distance requirements as long as they obtained permission from neighbors with whom they share a property line. Last month, the two proposed a different version of the amendment that did not mention waivers. That version was denied.

Cleverdon said that he supports alternative energy and described himself as a "believer in wind power," but "right now the assumption is that you should basically be able to build wind turbines anywhere, regardless, and … the issues of health and safety and property rights are not being adequately heard or addressed"

He said that the amendment is not an attempt to stymie Mainstream's turbine plans.

“We hope that ultimately that the text amendment gets adopted and that the people in the county are safer,” Cleverdon said.

Attempts to reach representatives at Mainstream Renewable Power for comment were unsuccessful.

Read the entire article by clicking on the following:  Boone County commission supports zoning amendment that would limit wind turbines - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Scott Walker dismisses 'elitist' criticism that he dropped out of college - Yahoo News

 

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is dismissing "elitist" critics who say his lack of a college degree could work against him should he run for president.

Last week, former Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean brought up Walker's lack of education, saying, “The issue is, how well educated is this guy?”

"I worry about people being president of the United States not knowing much about the world and not knowing much about science," Dean said on MSNBC. "I worry about that."

"That's the kind of elitist, government-knows-best, top-down approach we've had for years," Walker told Fox News' Megyn Kelly Tuesday.

The Republican governor and possible presidential hopeful turned the criticism into a zinger against President Barack Obama, who earned his bachelor's degree from Columbia and a law degree at Harvard.

"We've had an Ivy-trained lawyer in the White House for six years who's pretty good at reading off the teleprompter, but has done a pretty lousy job leading this country," Walker said. "I'd rather have a fighter who's proven he can take on the big government special interests and win."

Walker dropped out of Marquette in 1990 during his senior year to take a full-time job at the American Red Cross and focus on politics.

"We have people who helped found Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, plenty of other successful businesses and enterprises across this country who did the exact same sort of thing I did," Walker said. "I've got two sons in college. I hope they finish, I expect that. ... We value college for those who want to pursue a career, but in the end you don't have to have that."

Walker, who made headlines during a tour of London last week when he declined to answer an interviewer's question about evolution, addressed that controversy, too.

"I think God created the earth," he told Kelly, but added: "I think science and my faith aren't incompatible."

Scott Walker dismisses 'elitist' criticism that he dropped out of college - Yahoo News

Wal-Mart will give half-million employees pay raises - Yahoo Finance

 

The move ensures hourly associates earn at least $1.75 above today's federal minimum wage, or $9 per hour, in April. By Feb. 1, 2016, current associates will earn at least $10 per hour. Some states already have a minimum wage at or above $9 per hour, including California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington, Vermont and Rhode Island.

"I think it actually is good news," Paul Trussell, Deutsche Bank analyst said about the wage move. "Frankly part of Wal-Mart's problem has been concerns around inventories being out of stock, been about bad customer service, long lines at the checkout counters. There's been a lot of disgruntled workers, and frankly this does sound like the new CEO both of the U.S. Wal-Mart team and Doug McMillon at the helm taking a step to perhaps correct those past evils

Read the entire article:  Wal-Mart will give half-million employees pay raises - Yahoo Finance