George Shultz Gone Solar. Now That's a Sign of Thawing in the U.S. Climate Debate - Bloomberg

 

Ronald Reagan’s secretary of state, George Shultz faced off against Muammar Qaddafi, the Soviet Union and Chinese communists.

His latest cause, though, is one few fellow Republicans support: fighting climate change.

Two years ago, Shultz was alarmed when a retired Navy admiral showed him a video of vanishing Arctic sea ice and explained the implications for global stability. Now, the former Cold Warrior drives an electric car, sports solar panels on his California roof and argues for government action against global warming at clean-energy conferences.

Living a life powered “on sunshine,” Shultz, at 93, has a message for the doubters who dominate his own party: “The potential results are catastrophic,” he said in an interview. “So let’s take out an insurance policy.”

A Global Push to Save the Planet

As the United Nations gathers almost 200 governments in Lima this week to discuss new carbon limits for the planet, the U.S., as with so many other issues, looks badly divided. While President Barack Obama has pledged to accelerate reductions to greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 and is using his executive powers to put policies in place, Republicans have retaken the Senate and stand firmly opposed.

When Obama announced an agreement on carbon controls with Chinese President Xi Jinping three weeks ago, incoming Senate leader Mitch McConnell dismissed it as an “unrealistic plan” that would boost electric rates and kill jobs. Yet, there are signs of growing acceptance to the idea that climate change spurred by human actions is a mounting problem.

Poll Support

Across the U.S., a series of weather anomalies -- from a record West Coast drought to Midwest flooding and Superstorm Sandy -- are gradually helping to shift public opinion on climate change, according to a string of recent polls. Two in three Americans now believe global warming is real, according to an October survey of 1,275 people by Yale and George Mason universities. That’s up from 57 percent in January 2010.

“There’s a great middle in this country that basically agrees that something needs to be done,” said James Brainard, the Republican mayor of Carmel, Indiana, who served on a climate preparedness task force organized by Obama. “They can see that weather patterns are changing drastically.”

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Illinois public bodies fail to post required info online | The Rock River Times

 

…only 73 percent posted notice of upcoming meetings, a mere 57 percent posted proposed agendas, and less than half, 48 percent, complied with the law by posting approved meeting minutes….

Key takeaways include the following:

• Posting of this information (meeting notices, agendas and approved minutes) to local government websites is a legal requirement. Failure to do so should be considered a violation of the Open Meetings Act.

• A surprisingly low number of the public bodies surveyed actually maintain a website. The survey showed that of the 756 public bodies surveyed, only 385 have websites (51 percent).

• Municipality Compliance: Only 65 percent are complying with the website notice provision. Notably, municipalities were not very good at posting agendas as compliance with timely posting of an agenda was 54 percent. Timely website posting of approved meeting minutes dropped to a 38 percent compliance rate.

• Township Compliance: Township compliance levels were also low with only 61 percent of those with a website complying with posting notice, 46 percent complying with posting an agenda and 38 percent complying with posting approved meeting minutes.

• County Compliance: Arguably, the worst performing of the public bodies surveyed. Just 39 percent of counties with websites complied with posting notice, 33 percent posting an agenda, and 33 percent for posting approved meeting minutes.

• School District Compliance: The majority, 89 percent, of school districts posted timely notice. However, timely posting of an agenda was poorer, 69 percent overall. The numbers for timely posting of approved meeting minutes was poorer still at 62 percent.

Click on the following to read all of the story:  Illinois public bodies fail to post required info online | The Rock River Times

Hospitals temporarily restricting visitors to limit spread of flu | The Rock River Times

 

In light of the high number of influenza cases in the Rock River Region, OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, Rockford Health System and SwedishAmerican Health System are restricting the age of visitors to their facilities per recommendations from Illinois Department of Public Health.

The Illinois Department of Public Health recommends hospitals implement all of the comprehensive influenza prevention and control recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during times of increased incidence of influenza-like illness in the community.

Effective immediately, and until further notice, hospital visitors will be limited to those individuals 18 years of age and older. In addition, it is strongly recommended that anyone showing flu-like symptoms refrain from visiting patients in the hospital. All treatment services are still available to all patients.

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Belvidere police release traffic enforcement results - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

BELVIDERE — Belvidere police officers conducted 76 traffic stops that resulted in 100 tickets or arrests as part of its Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program.

The department received grant funding from the Illinois Department of Transportation to hire off-duty officers from Nov. 17-30 for the two-week traffic enforcement campaign, Police Chief Jan Noble said in a news release.

Citations and arrests included: 57 seat belt, 10 child seat, 12 uninsured, and five equipment violations, two driving on a suspended, revoked or without a license, three for moving violations, eight for using an electronic device/cell phone, and one ticket each was issued for speeding, driving under the influence and driving with a blood alcohol content over the legal limit of .08 percent.

Belvidere police will continue to increase traffic patrols throughout the holiday season. Motorists are encouraged to slow down, “buckle up” and refrain from distracted driving.

Belvidere police release traffic enforcement results - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

Workforce Connection Plans another Job Fair January 29 in Belvidere

How far have oil prices fallen?

 

Illinois economic index shows growth - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

 

Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the university said Monday that its Flash Index was at 106.6 in November. Any reading over 100 indicates economic growth and the index has been in the 106-107 range since February.

Institute economist Fred Giertz (GERTZ) also pointed to strong improvement in the state’s unemployment rate as a sign the economy is growing. The jobless rate was 6.6 percent in October. That’s down from 9.1 percent a year earlier.

The institute releases the Flash Index every month. It uses corporate earnings, consumer spending and personal income to track Illinois’ economy.

Click on following for reference:  Illinois economic index shows growth - News - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL