Brown County, WI considers wind farm task force

Doug Schneider, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin 10:32 p.m. CST February 17, 2016

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Two months after its health officer ruled she could not blame people's health problems on a controversial wind farm in Shirley, county lawmakers are taking another tack to assist residents who blame wind turbines for a range of illnesses.

Under pressure from a citizens' group representing residents of the Glenmore and Morrison areas, the County Board will consider forming a task force in an effort to address residents' concerns.

Erik Hoyer, a Green Bay supervisor, on Wednesday proposed creating a group of "scientists, physicians, citizens and supervisors" to tackle an issue that has vexed the county since shortly after the Shirley Wind farm began operating in 2010. Dozens of residents have complained of sleep problems, vertigo and other health issues they blame on low-frequency noise from the windmills. A handful have abandoned their homes.

Hoyer's proposal goes to a committee next month for study.

County residents living near the eight wind turbines continue to beseech the county for help.

One accused the county of "malpractice" in its handling of the issue, saying Wednesday the Health Department has a formal, professional process for dealing with complaints about odors and other nuisances, but has unfairly set the bar higher for people who claim wind-related health problems.

"Are residents submitting odor complaints forced to submit scientific evidence … Have any of them abandoned their homes?," asked Steve Deslauriers of Hollandtown. "I can't call this anything other than a discriminatory process."

The county's Board of Health in 2014 declared the turbines emit low-frequency noise that can endanger health. But Health Director Chua Xiong ruled in December 2015 that insufficient scientific evidence exists to say that the wind farm definitely caused people's health issues.

Duke Energy Renewables, which operates the site, has said repeatedly that sounds produced by the turbines cannot be linked to health problems. North Carolina-based Duke, which operates more than 1,000 turbines around the country, purchased Shirley Wind in 2011.

Wind-farm operators, in response, point to studies saying there is no clear link between turbines and health issues claimed by people who live near them. Studies in Massachusetts and Canada do not connect turbines to illnesses reported by people living near them, though one southeastern Massachusetts community began shutting turbines off at night after neighbors complained of sleep problems.

Operators also point out that wind produces energy without directly burning fossil fuels or using expensive and potentially dangerous nuclear material.

Electricity produced at Shirley, which can power about 6,000 homes, is sold to Wisconsin Public Service Co.

Above is from:  http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/2016/02/17/brown-county-considers-wind-farm-task-force/80516510/

The proposed new RR spur to bipass Chicago?

Here is a map which county and township officials were apparently provides. 
The route is in purple on the right side of the map.


A special thanks to a special reader who provides this map.
For more information on this project go to: http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2016/02/new-area-rail-spur-in-2019.html and the older posting  http://boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/2015/10/6-billion-railroad-bypass-project.html

Letters to Editor supporting States Attorney candidates

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• Letter: Showing support for Tricia Smith as state's attorney

 

• Posted Feb. 17, 2016 at 2:00 PM

  I would like to announce my support for Tricia Smith for Boone County State's Attorney. I worked in the Boone County Clerk and Recorder's office for 40 years — the last six years as the elected county clerk.

  During that time I have had the opportunity to meet many politicians and elected officials, some impressive and some not so. Tricia Smith is someone I am impressed with. Her diverse background in law enforcement as a police officer, an assistant state's attorney and a defense attorney and her significant courtroom experience makes her highly qualified and a valuable resource to the lawyers in the Boone County State's Attorney's office.

  The people of Boone County will be well served to have Tricia Smith as their state's attorney. I am happy to join my fellow former countywide office holders such as former State's Attorney John Maville, former Boone County Sheriff Duane Wirth and former Circuit Clerk Nora Ohlsen in their support for Tricia Smith.

  Please consider casting your vote for Tricia Smith in the March 15 Republican primary.

• — Pam McCullough, Poplar Grove

• Letter: Re-elect Michelle Courier as state's attorney

• Posted Feb. 13, 2016 at 9:01 AM

  I am proud to endorse Michelle Courier in her re-election for state’s attorney. I am a former member of the Boone County Board, and I have worked closely with Michelle on many County Board and public safety issues, and I have always been impressed by her professionalism, intelligence and ethics.

  She’s smart, tough and fair. Add to that her unwavering focus on standing up for the people of Boone County and victims of crime, and I don’t think we could ask for a better state’s attorney.

  Members of other county boards have expressed their admiration for Michelle, and their wish that they had a state’s attorney of her caliber in their communities. We are lucky to have her, and we need to keep her!

  I strongly encourage all Boone County voters to support Michelle Courier with their votes so we can continue to receive the benefits of her expertise, integrity and courage to protect the people of our community!

  — Laura Guerin-Hunt, Belvidere

Above are from:  http://www.rrstar.com/opinion/20160217/letter-showing-support-for-tricia-smith-as-states-attorney and http://www.rrstar.com/opinion/20160213/letter-re-elect-michelle-courier-as-states-attorney

Coroner: Belvidere man killed in apparent forklift accident

 

 

UPDATED:  2*18*2016

BELVIDERE (WREX) -

The Winnebago County Coroner's Office says Chris Thick, 36, of Belvidere, was killed in an apparent forklift accident Wednesday.

Officials say Thick had driven a forklift onto a flat-bed truck, parked the forklift, then got out and jumped to the ground. The forklift then began to slide backward, officials allege.

When the forklift reached the end of the truck, it fell, hitting Thick. Thick was taken to the hospital where he died at about 11:50 a.m.

Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Hintz says an autopsy was completed on Thick, and showed Thick died from blunt force trauma to the head.

Belvidere Police are investigating Thick's death.

Above is from:  http://www.wrex.com/story/31247457/2016/02/17/coroner-belvidere-man-killed-in-apparent-forklift-accident

Posted Feb. 17, 2016 at 5:25 PM
Updated at 9:16 PM

BELVIDERE — A 36-year-old Belvidere man died Tuesday in an industrial accident at Fastenal, 2337 Newburg Road.

Shortly after 11 a.m. Tuesday, Chris Thick drove a forklift onto a flatbed truck, parked it, and jumped to the ground, Winnebago County Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Hintz said. The forklift then began to slide backwards and off the truck striking Thick. He was transported by ambulance to OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford where he was pronounced dead at 11:49 a.m.

An autopsy showed the preliminary cause of death to be blunt trauma to the head, Hintz said.

Fastenal is a screw, bolt and fastener manufacturer and distributor.

Officials at the company's corporate office in Minnesota could not be reached for comment.

The accident is under investigation of the Belvidere Police Department.

Chris Green: 815-987-1241; cgreen@rrstar.com; @chrisfgreen

Above is from:  http://www.rrstar.com/news/20160217/belvidere-man-killed-in-forklift-accident-at-fastenal

Friends and Family Remember Forklift Accident Victim

By: Amanda DeVoe - Email

BELVIDERE (WIFR) -- The friends and family of a man who died in a forklift accident, remember him a day after the tragedy, as loving husband and father.

Chris Thick and his family survived the E4 tornado that rocked the town of Fairdale last year, Now they're mourning his tragic death, from an accident they say, is shocking.

The accident happened at Fastenal in Belvidere. Police say the 36-year-old husband and father of three, parked his forklift on a flatbed truck, but after jumping off, it began sliding backwards, hitting him. He later died from his injuries. Thick worked at Fitzgerald Equipment in Rockford. Friends say, Thick was energetic and friendly, and the love he had for his family was enormous.

"He was a really cool guy. You would meet him for the first time, and you'd think that you'd known him for a while because he just had that warm embrace just where it wasn't like you would just make small talk with him. When you met him it was something interesting every time," said Thick's friend Ian Galpin. Galpin also works at Vici Fitness in Belvidere, where Thick's wife Jackie is a member.

Vici Fitness is planning a memorial workout February 27th at 10 a.m.

People can also donate to the family at any Alpine Bank location. A GoFundMe page has also been set up. Funeral services are this Sunday at noon at Anderson Funeral Home in Belvidere.

For more information on the Memorial Workout and how to donate, visit the attached related link.

Above is from:  http://www.wifr.com/news/headlines/Friends-and-Family-Remember-Forklift-Accident-Vicitm--369370131.html

Conservative group bets $165,000 on McGuire

 

Rauner and friends spending in Quad City races.

 

Posted: Monday, February 15, 2016 5:20 pm | Updated: 5:20 pm, Mon Feb 15, 2016.

 By Eric Timmons, etimmons@qconline.com qconline.com

ROCK ISLAND — An independent expenditure group headed by conservative talk show host Dan Proft and closely linked to Gov. Bruce Rauner has spent $165,530 to back Brandi McGuire's primary election campaign.

Mrs. McGuire, a Republican, is running against Fyre Lake marketing manager Jordan Thoms for the GOP nomination to succeed the retiring state Rep. Pat Verschoore, D-Milan, in District 72. The primary is March 15.

Mr. Thoms donated $55,000 of his own money to his campaign last week, according to the Illinois State Board of Election, but to date does not have the benefit of major backing from an outside group.

The Liberty Principles money has largely gone on a TV advertising campaign for Mrs. McGuire.

Liberty Principles also has spent money producing a newspaper called Rock Island Today that is distributed to local homes and includes favorable coverage of her campaign.

Major donors to Liberty Principles include Richard Uihlein, owner of packaging supply company Uline, who donated $2.5 million to the group in December. Other backers include Super PAC Turnaround Illinois, which gave $1.8 million to Liberty Principles in January and is backed by Gov. Rauner's fundraising committee and Sam Zell, the wealthy investor and former Chicago Tribune owner.

Mrs. McGuire said in an interview Monday she was "thrilled" to get the backing of Liberty Principles, and said she likes the TV commercial the group has funded to promote her campaign. She said she had no foreknowledge of the advertising campaign or the content of the commercial.

Independent expenditure groups are not supposed to coordinate what they do with any candidate's campaign, although the candidates and the outside money organizations often have close ties.

Liberty Principles spending on the District 72 race is an indication that the race to succeed Rep. Verschoore is shaping up to be an expensive proxy war between Gov. Rauner and Speaker Mike Madigan.

Democrats Jeff Jacobs, Mike Halpin, Glen Evans and Kate Hotle are contesting the Democratic primary in District 72. Mr. Halpin and Mr. Jacobs are the front-runners and have raised almost $150,000 between them to date.

Speaker Madigan is officially neutral in the Democratic primary in District 72 but Democratic Majority, a fundraising committee he chairs, has spent about $7,500 on mailers criticizing Ms. Hotle.

It's not clear why Speaker Madigan has trained his sights on Ms. Hotle, a Rock Island alderwoman, although his spokesman called her a "Rauner plant." She said she has no links to the governor and would turn down any campaign money offered by any group linked to him.

The large sums of money being invested in the Republican campaigns for District 72 is unusual, as the seat has been a Democratic stronghold for decades.

In 2014, Rep. Verschoore was unopposed in the general election and in 2012 he took 64 percent of the vote to defeat now state Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Rock Island.

Another local state race that's likely to see Gov. Rauner flexing his financial muscles is the District 71 contest between state Rep. Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale, and Savanna Mayor Tony McCombie, a Republican. Neither candidate has a primary opponent.

Rep. Smiddy, who receives heavy financial backing from AFSCME, raised $453,000 in the last quarter of 2015 in preparation for what he expects to be a costly campaign. He beat Republican Jim Wozniak by less than 300 votes in 2014 and his seat is likely to be targeted by the governor. Mrs. McCombie has yet to file a financial report.

Above is from:  http://www.qconline.com/news/local/conservative-group-bets-on-mcguire/article_a5a861b9-eedc-5421-81e6-99627d2a5d39.html

Bill Knight: Rauner wants weaker workers comp

 

Weakening workers compensation is a key part of Gov. Bruce Rauner's 'Turnaround Agenda,” the main roadblock to a state budget.

 

By Bill Knight Posted Feb. 15, 2016 @ 9:18 am

Bill Knight

Weakening workers compensation is a key part of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s ‘Turnaround Agenda,” the main roadblock to a state budget. Rauner reasons that workers file phony claims. That may seem reasonable (though it’s mostly hogwash). Or he reasons that companies want to pay lower insurance premiums, which undoubtedly is true in a “something-for-nothing” world.

His scheme could clog the courts if injured workers have no recourse but to file lawsuits against employers – originally a reason to make workers compensation the “exclusive remedy” in a no-fault system that’s worked for decades. Further, workers still get ill or injured on the job – increasingly so, according to a recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) – mostly due to inadequate oversight by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), poor supervision on the job, or non-union contractors’ operations.

But … Rauner is a reasonable man.

Fatalities on construction sites in 2014 were up 6 percent, BLS reported, to almost 900 victims.

“The fatal injury rate for workers in construction and extraction occupations was 11.8 per 100,000 full-time-equivalent workers in 2014,” BLS reports. “Fatal injuries among construction trades workers increased 3 percent in 2014 to 611 fatalities, the highest count since 2009. Fatal work injuries to construction laborers [totaled] 206. The number of fatally-injured electricians increased to 78.”

Also, thousands of injured workers survived and filed about 1 million workers comp claims.

But … Rauner is a reasonable man.

“They fall from ladders, roofs and scaffolding, get electrocuted, and breathe in toxic chemicals and dust,” writes author Eleanor Bader. “They get hit by falling objects and find themselves on the receiving end of mechanical failures and equipment malfunctions. For 7.45 million construction workers, going to work as a bricklayer, carpenter, electrician, framer, mason, painter, plumber, or drywall or tile installer means facing acute dangers within their daily work.”

OSHA, the federal agency responsible for protecting worker health and safety, is ridiculously underfunded and understaffed. Nationally, fewer than 3,000 OSHA inspectors (about 60 per state) are responsible for monitoring 8 million job sites.

But … Rauner is a reasonable man.

“The root cause of injury and death is the lack of construction oversight,” said attorney Robert Mongeluzzi, who’s represented victims of construction negligence for 30 years in the Northeast. “When builders incur debt, the faster they do the construction, the more profit they make. Given the profit motive, shortcuts are sometimes taken.”

Scott Allen, with the Midwest office of the U.S. Department of Labor, said, “We know what we’re dealing with and don’t even use the word ‘accidents’ for death and injury on construction sites. We call them incidents because almost every one of them could have been prevented if the employer had done the right thing for his or her workers.”

But … Rauner is a reasonable man.

Charlene Obernauer, director of the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health, told Bader, “There is a huge correlation between non-union jobs and fatalities. Eighty percent of the deaths occurred on non-union sites, among workers employed by small non-union companies with only a few employees. On union sites, there is rigorous training. Just to get into the union a worker needs to complete a nine-month apprenticeship program.”

But … Rauner is a reasonable man.

Targeting labor – whether attacking state employees and Prevailing Wage laws or promoting Right To Work “zones” – adds to Rauner’s obsession with empowering business at the expense of working people.

Meanwhile, Illinois’ debt is getting worse than ever, some 1,000 college students couldn’t return to school this semester because the lack of a budget killed Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants they needed; Rauner’s calls for a Chicago Public Schools bankruptcy caused lenders to charge a yield of between 7.75 and 8.5 percent on a $675 million loan to CPS; the state’s largest social-services provider (Lutheran Social Services) was forced to close 30 programs and eliminate 750 jobs (more than 40 percent of its staff); and the governor’s promise to have a state budget by the end of last year – and failing – contributed to General Electric’s decision to move its headquarters to Boston instead of Chicago.

But … Rauner is a reasonable man.

Bill Knight, a former environmental reporter, critic and assistant editor at the Peoria Journal Star, writes for newspapers and radio and taught journalism at Western Illinois University for 21 years.

Above is from:  http://www.galesburg.com/article/20160215/OPINION/160219859

Nearly $617,000 could be put into revitalizing downtown Belvidere

BELVIDERE (WREX) -

By Tori Clark

 

Posted: Feb 15, 2016 7:34 PM CST

BELVIDERE (WREX) -

A $600,000-plus plan to rehabilitate downtown Belvidere could be approved during the Belvidere City Council meeting Monday, February 15.
Small business owners in the city's downtown want leaders to consider them in these construction plans.

This month marks the 3rd since Lloyd Roberts has been in business. He owns a vacuum shop in downtown belvidere called Little Lloyd's Vacuums and he's nervous about the city's new plans.

Roberts says, "The real fear is as business owners is that we won't have the customer base coming back."

Belvidere City Council members are expected to take a final vote on a nearly $617,000 bid from Alliance Contractors to rehabilitate downtown. The project is called 2016 State Streetscape Rehabilitation Project. State street from the railroad tracks all the way north to Madison street would get a makeover. This will replace downtown's bricks with concrete, the same bricks that Belvidere Mayor Mike Chamberlain says are hazardous to the public.

Mayor Chamberlain states, "It is important that provide a good place to live and the kind of place you can be proud of."

This plan will also bring the city up to code with "Americans with Disabilities Act" mandates. Belvidere will have ramps on every corner. The city would also add planters throughout downtown.  Business owners would have to work around all the construction.

"On a day to day basis there will be some parking on the street where they are working that will be affected," Mayor Chamberlain continues, "but there will not be blocked access to parking lots."

Belvidere's Public Works Director, Brent Anderson, also weighed in on the plans.

Anderson says, "There might be some lane reductions during construction and stuff but no it will not close off the streets."

These months of construction, Llloyd says are not good for the vacuum business.

Lloyd explains, "That could actually cause a lot of heartache."

Spring cleaning is his high point... the months that construction will most likely take place. He wants city leaders to be conscious of his desire to stay in business as they try to build a better path for downtown Belvidere.

Construction could start as soon as March and go is expected to last until late June. Right before Belvidere's Heritage Days Festival. 

Above is from:  http://www.wrex.com/story/31227203/2016/02/15/nearly-617000-could-be-put-into-revitalizing-downtown-belvidere