Here is what will be a buck in many cities:
sausage McMuffin, a sausage biscuit and two hotcakes.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
McDonald's bringing Dollar Menu to breakfast - Chicago Breaking News
Woodward to sell Rockton facility to Chemtool-- WREX.com – Rockford’s News Leader
Chemtool purchases building rather than builds in Rockton.
Woodward Governor has announced its plans to sell its Rockton facility to Chemtool Incorporated.
Woodward employees told 13 News they heard about the probable sale earlier in the day on Wednesday. Woodward confirmed the news around 4:00 p.m.
"We are pleased to have located such a beautiful facility for our new corporate headquarters," said James Athans, Chairman, Chemtool Incorporated.
Click on the following for more details: Woodward to sell Rockton facility - WREX.com – Rockford’s News Leader
Daily Herald | Kane County court system looks to salaries to cut budget
Court cost are skyrocketing and at least one court is trying to contain costs.
Chief Judge F. Keith Brown announced Tuesday that his employees will take five unpaid holidays for the remainder of this year to help get his budget to the 5.5 percent reduction mandated by the county board.
Adding to the budget debacle for 2010 will be a 35 percent reduction in state funding for court services, including the various forms of probation. That will result in the loss of about $914,000
on the horizon are the additional costs of treating 17-year-olds convicted of a misdemeanor as juveniles and housing then in the juvenile detention center
Daily Herald | Kane County court system looks to salaries to cut budget
Daily Herald | DuPage County hires 4 lobbying firms
lobbyists were responsible for a variety of accomplishments, including securing nearly $1 million for stormwater assistance, $1.2 million in state funding for capital improvement projects, and a $24,000 state grant for jail lighting improvements
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Genoa to consider cutting fees | Daily Chronicle
Genoa Park District and School District consider lowering impact fees to jump start new construction
the park board is willing to reduce its fees by 50 percent through the end of 2010
Our need for EAV outweighs our need for impact fees," Wakeley said. "The temporary loss of impact fees is not as great because it's not a housing boom that will require buying land and building new schools."
Lots in the Oak Creek Estates subdivision are selling for half the price they were two years ago, Hoffman said, and he estimated building costs are down 25 percent. He's hoping the reduction in impact fees might be the nudge someone considering building a new home needs to build it sooner rather than later. When the agreement expires at the end of next year, hopefully building will have resumed a more normal pace, he said.
Click on the following for more details of the story: Genoa to consider cutting fees | Daily Chronicle
Monday, August 24, 2009
Governments attracted to lower borrowing costs of stimulus bond programs | Daily Chronicle
Well Boone County it sure sounds like the days of revenue from DeKalb County prisoners is limited. Or at least that is what the DeKalb County Administrator seems to be saying.
DeKalb County was allocated $15 million in Recovery Zone Bonds that it can issue. Of that, $6 million can be used for public projects and $9 million can be used on privately owned buildings.
County officials are planning to use the recovery bonds to expand the jail and courthouse. Though funding options for both buildings have been studied for about a year, the announcement of the stimulus bond programs really brought the projects into focus, County Administrator Ray Bockman said.
Governments attracted to lower borrowing costs of stimulus bond programs | Daily Chronicle
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Federal courthouse takes shape - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
Am I missing something here? $100,225,000/200,000 square feet, that is $500 a square foot. Granted you have to furnish the building but what a number. And remember this is Rockford not downtown New York City.
The way the cycle goes, the final amount, the $100,225,000, has been approved by Congress and includes everything,” Wehrle said. “It’s all we have to build this building. That’s the only amount of money we have, and we can’t go over it.”
Unique characteristics
Ground was broken in May 2008, and in November, the massive, 200,000-square-foot, seven-story structure will have exterior walls, windows and a roof and be completely closed off to the outdoors.
At that time, the project will be 65 percent complete and work will shift from placing steel girders, pouring concrete slabs and installing the precast facade to the final phase — an estimated one-year interior build-out.
“A significant step is taking place right now,” Wehrle said. “As soon as the steel frame and slabs are in, things become considerably evolved. Once that exterior skin is in, it will go crazy inside. Everything will go from activity outside the building to inside the building.”
Wehrle has served as project manager on about a dozen federal building projects across the Upper Great Lakes region. Each project brings its own unique characteristics, and Rockford is no exception.
“It’s always interesting to see how the different architects bring their own approach to the projects,” she said. Rockford’s architects, Koetter Kim & Associates of Boston, designed the courthouse to radiate a look and feel of openness, representing the transparency of government and justice.
The theme is then echoed in the project’s Art in Architecture commission, the planting of a two-acre urban orchard featuring blooming crab apple trees scheduled for spring 2011 on the courthouse’s front lawn.
“It’s not your typical Art in Architecture project,” Wehrle said. “It’s not just for visitors to the building. It’s a statement for the community, for everyone to see.”
Counting the days
The timing of the project – in the midst of a severe economic downturn and construction drought — has only added to its significance.
“Because of what’s happening in the construction market, the fact that this project is bringing so many jobs to the area is exciting,” Wehrle said.
At its peak, the project is expected to have as many as 400 workers on-site.
That peak is expected to happen this winter when teams of carpenters, drywall installers, painters, electricians, plumbers and other tradesmen start turning the shell of a building into courtrooms, offices, hallways and public spaces.
Tom Dal Santo, director of the 1,000-member Northern Illinois Building and Trades Association, said he and plenty of others are counting the days until the courthouse project is able to put more local laborers to work.
“There are a decent number of people down there now. What’s good about a project like this is it involves all of the trades,” Dal Santo said. “I wish we had six more going up. I still have 150 to 175 folks not seeing a paycheck.”
Staff writer Corina Curry can be reached at ccurry@rrstar.com or 815-987-1371.
FEDERAL COURTHOUSE TIMELINE
1992: First public hearing to discuss need for new U.S. courthouse
2000: New U.S. courthouse for Rockford authorized by the U.S. Judicial Conference
November 2001: Project receives $4.9 million for site acquisition and design development
November 2003: Project receives another $2 million
November 2005: Project receives $34.5 million in construction funds
December 2007: Project receives $58 million
May 2008: Construction begins
May 2009: Ironworkers complete the building’s structural frame
July 2009: Construction begins on the building’s facade
November 2009: Facade expected to be complete, focus to shift to interior build out
November 2010: Construction to be complete
Early 2011: Tenants will move into the new courthouse
Spring 2011: Art in Architecture project, a two-acre urban orchard, will be installed
Read the rest of the story: Federal courthouse takes shape - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star
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