Northwest Herald | 28th plaintiff joins cancer lawsuits

28th plaintiff in the McCullom Lake brain cancer lawsuits

The lawsuits blame the cancers on decades of vinyl chloride air and groundwater pollution from neighboring manufacturers Rohm and Haas and Modine.

Modine settled in 2008, denying any culpability but agreeing to pay $1.4 million toward medical monitoring and $100,000 toward property value reimbursement. The 695 residents received vouchers for $2,020 apiece to pursue any screenings their doctors consider appropriate. Centegra Health System agreed earlier this year to offer significant discounts for MRIs funded under the settlement.

Rohm and Haas continues to fight the lawsuits in court.

Click on the following for the rest of the story:  Northwest Herald | 28th plaintiff joins cancer lawsuits

Northwest Herald | FOIA reform signed

A souped-up Illinois Freedom of Information Act was one of several reform bills signed into law Monday by Gov. Pat Quinn.

The new FOIA shortens the time that governments have to respond to records requests. It also empowers the attorney general’s public access counselor with binding authority to enforce the act, and for the first time imposes civil penalties for governments that willfully violate it.

Northwest Herald | FOIA reform signed

Robert Reich's Blog: Reich wants a public option

 

If Obama tells Senate Democrats he will not sign a healthcare reform bill without a public option, there will be enough votes in the United States Senate for a public option.

Click on following for the rest of the story:  Robert Reich's Blog

Orbitz endorses to end Cuban travel ban

The following is an email letter I recently received.

Dear William,
At Orbitz we believe passionately in the power of travel to transform lives. And we believe that people should have the freedom to travel wherever they choose.
Americans today have the right to travel to any country in the world except Cuba. Recently, we launched OpenCuba.org, a campaign that gives people a way to petition U.S. leaders to end the 50-year Cuba travel ban and give all Americans the freedom to travel to Cuba.
159 Congressmen and 29 Senators recently sponsored the bipartisan Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act, which seeks to open up travel to Cuba for all U.S. citizens. The opportunity to end the 50-year ban hangs in the balance.
Be part of the movement to give Americans the right to travel wherever they choose by signing the petition.

The momentum behind this issue is growing. A recent Orbitz-Ipsos poll shows that 67% of Americans favor allowing all Americans to travel to Cuba.
Cuban American groups, such as the Cuban American Alliance and the Cuban American Commission for Family Rights, have endorsed OpenCuba.org. Our position on opening up travel to Cuba is aligned with that of Human Rights Watch.
Over 50,000 people have already signed the petition. Seize the moment and join us in urging U.S. leaders to give all Americans the freedom to travel to Cuba:
http://www.OpenCuba.org
We recognize that some of you may have different perspectives on this subject; however, our position on this is premised on two core beliefs:

• People should have the freedom to travel where they choose
• Travel -- and the resulting exchange of ideas between people from different countries -- can be a powerful force for positive change

Thank you for considering our request to join us on this issue.
Barney Harford
President & CEO, Orbitz Worldwide

Colonial BancGroup is shut down by regulators - Kansas City Star

The failure of Colonial is expected to cost the deposit insurance fund an estimated $2.8 billion

Colonial, based in Montgomery, Ala., is the biggest U.S. bank to fail this year.

The failed bank’s 346 branches in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Nevada and Texas will reopen at normal times today as offices of BB&T

Colonial BancGroup is shut down by regulators - Kansas City Star

The Belvidere Daily Republican. - Governor signs Rep. Wait’s Tobacco Bill

HB 799 was introduced by State Representative Ron Wait (R-Belvidere). The new law now makes it illegal for minors under the age of 18 to possess any cigar, cigarette, smokeless tobacco, or tobacco in any of its forms.

The Belvidere Daily Republican. - Governor signs Rep. Wait’s Tobacco Bill

Public hearing on DeKalb’s countywide recovery zone set for Wed. | Daily Chronicle

Where is Boone County with its recovery zone bonds?  McHenry County and Stephenson Counties have passed their resolutions to start their programs.  I have contacted Mayor Brereton who obtained information that Boone County’s allocation is $1,863,000, but no one is certain if county government has started the process.

 

The decision is before the DeKalb County Board because the county was allocated $15 million in Recovery Zone Bonds. Part of the federal stimulus legislation, the borrowed money would serve as a means to finance both governmental and privately-owned building projects at a low interest rate, with the federal government paying 45 percent of the interest.

Click on the following for more details on  DeKalb County proposal:  Public hearing on countywide recovery zone set for Wed. | Daily Chronicle

For details on McHenry County’s Program:  http://www.nwherald.com/articles/2009/08/11/r_migk8hyjsy2z1vnk_tug/index.xml

http://www.nwherald.com/articles/2009/06/17/r_bxepvehdskw4niafe6_irw/index.xml

For details on Stephenson County’s Program:  http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2009/08/tools-for-development-stephenson-county.html