Enbridge Energy shows support for Boone County

 

By Kathryn Menue

Editor

BOONE COUNTY – On Monday, Nov. 9, Enbridge Energy Company Inc. traveled to the Rock Valley College (RVC) Woodward Technology Center (WTC) at 9 a.m. to “dedicate a new scholarship at Rock Valley Community College.”

“The new scholarship, known as the Enbridge Energy Company Pipeline Industry Awareness Scholarship, will award five $1,000 scholarships to students in Boone County,” Enbridge Energy stated in their press release. “Enbridge has established similar scholarships at several other two-year schools throughout Illinois. This scholarship at Rock Valley Community College will now mark an Enbridge scholarship established at every community college along its Illinois system.”

Rep. Joe Sosnowski (Ill.-69), Belvidere Mayor Mike Chamberlain, and Enbridge Energy created the scholarship alliance to support students from Belvidere and Boone County who want to enter into an engineering or trade program at Rock Valley College.

“The reason we call it the ‘Pipeline Industry Awareness Scholarship,’ is because for too long, our industry was ‘out-of-sight and out-of-mind’ in our communities,” John Gauderman, Enbridge Director for Chicago Region Operations said. “By building great partnerships like the ones we have with Rock Valley College, we’re hoping to change that.”

At the scholarship presentation, Gauderman stated that the newly founded scholarship was a “great opportunity for Enbridge to show how we operate in the communities. We are very happy to have five $1,000 scholarships at Rock Valley.”

Rock Valley College was very appreciative of their support as well.

“It couldn’t have come at a better time,” RVC President Mike Mastroianni said. He explained that this scholarship will be a great start for the engineering program RVC plans to establish in the upcoming years in the WTC. The new engineering program will allow students to receive a four-year engineering degree from RVC at a more affordable rate than at state universities.

“This is wonderful news for the community and it exemplifies how the Belvidere/Boone County area is positively impacted by Enbridge Energy,” Neeley Erickson, legislative aide to Rep. Sosnowski, said.

Enbridge Energy shows support for Boone County

Boone County money sought for Rockford airport project

 

March 5, 2015

By Bob Balgemann

Reporter

BELVIDERE - Winnebago County Board Chairman Scott Christiansen will be coming to Boone County soon, searching for funding to help defray the cost of the proposed $40-million hangar project at Chicago Rockford International Airport.

He already has asked the village of Machesney Park and city of Loves Park for $400,000 each, to be paid in annual installments of $20,000 for the next 20 years.

And he told Machesney Park officials Feb. 17 that he soon would be making a similar request of the Boone County Board and city of Belvidere. Durand and Winnebago also are on his list of upcoming stops.

It's all about partnerships, he said, and far-ranging benefits the hangar project will bring those outside of Rockford. The hope is AAR, one of the world's largest aircraft maintenance companies, will locate at the Winnebago County airport.

The plan calls for construction of two 90,000-square-foot hangars with another 30,000 square feet of office and warehouse space.

It's a cooperative effort with Rock Valley College (RVC) with the goal being to increase the number of graduates from 20 to 120 a year. Those completing the program would be making $45,000 to $50,000 a year.

While the airport and RVC both are located in Rockford, Christiansen said the benefits will be widespread and include Boone County and its municipalities.

Belvidere Mayor Mike Chamberlain said he would not comment on the chairman's proposal until after it is presented to the city council.

Of partnerships and regionalism, he said, "Regionalism is the only sensible solution to economic development in today's economic climate. For us to access federal money, the more citizens who will benefit the better chance we will have."

Regionalism, he added, is the way local governments will be able to create jobs and finance infrastructure improvements in the future.

Support for regionalism

Boone County officials believe in the importance of regionalism. They, in particular county board Chairman Bob Walberg, are members of regional committees that link Boone with Winnebago County and its municipalities. They also attend countless regional meetings throughout the year.

But finding an extra $20,000 a year to help finance the Rockford airport project, at this particular time, would be difficult if not impossible.

The most recent challenge to confront the county is the potential loss of $900,000 in funding it receives from the state. That possibility was part of the budget address given Feb. 18 by newly elected Gov. Bruce Rauner.

He also noted that the lost revenue only would make up 3 percent of local governments' total income.

To finance the hangar project, the airport would receive $15 million from the state, $10 million from Winnebago County and $8 million from the city of Rockford. The airport itself would be in for $5 million to $7 million.

Neither Machesney Park nor Loves Park has committed to the funding request. Machesney Park officials are expected to discuss it March 7, during a workshop on their 2015-16 budget

belvideredailyrepublican.net

Rockford conference aims to help female veterans - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

ROCKFORD — A conference this Saturday in Rockford aims to provide resources to the fastest growing veteran demographic in Illinois: Women.

About 20 local, state and federal vendors will present information on benefits and programs that support women who’ve served in the armed forces at the Northern Illinois Conference for Women Veterans. The free event runs from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday at Veterans Memorial Hall, 211 N. Main St.

“With women veterans making up the fastest-growing and yet most under-served demographic in our Illinois veteran community, events like this are vital in helping women veterans own their unique veteran experience, get benefits and contribute,” said Erica Borggren, director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs.

The conference is open to female veterans and women who are currently serving. The event includes a professional attire fashion show, to assist women in preparing for dressing professionally for interviews, and an open forum to discuss entrepreneurship

Click on the following for more details;  Rockford conference aims to help female veterans - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL