Belvidere Daily Republican: Superintendent Houselog finalist to lead Johnston (Ia.) schools

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1. Belvidere Daily Republican

   March 11

   Superintendent Houselog finalist to lead Johnston (Ia.) schools
   By Bob Balgemann
   Reporter
   BELVIDERE - For the second time in two years Belvidere Community Unit School District 100 Superintendent Michael Houselog is a finalist to lead a school district in Iowa. And once again family ties are a motivating factor.
   He was scheduled to be interviewed Monday March 10 in Johnston, Ia., a northwester...n Des Moines suburb, with the other candidate, Corey Lynn from Stillwater, Minn., on tap for Tuesday night.
   The Johnston board of education will meet Wednesday March 12 and Laura Dillavou, communications director for the district, said discussion but no decision is expected at that time.
   Spring break is coming up the following week and she said the board had scheduled a special meeting for March 24. If board members have reached a consensus, she said a decision could be made that night.
   The current superintendent, Clay Guthmiller, 62, is retiring effective June 30 after eight years with the district of about 6,700 students.
   Houselog came to Boone County in 2003, where he served for three years as superintendent of North Boone Community School District 200. He then was hired as District 100 superintendent and has been there ever since.
   He called both the Belvidere and Johnston school districts exciting places to be. And if the Johnston board chooses the other finalist, he said that would be all right. "I like this job; I love this area," he said.
   Family was a primary reason he sought to become superintendent of the Dubuque Community Schools last year. The move would have brought him and his Belvidere family closer to his mother. But the Dubuque school board sought another of the finalists for the job.
   He said his daughter, son-in-law and now 5-month-old granddaughter live about one-half hour from Johnston. He said his mother also was interested in that area, should he become superintendent there.
   "Family is really important," he said. But in addition, the Johnston job "is a great opportunity. It's an excellent district."
   As he did last year, he made District 100 board members aware that he had applied for the Iowa position.

Belvidere Daily Republican: Illinois EPA, Chrysler working to determine odor origin

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Illinois EPA, Chrysler working to determine odor origin
By Tricia Goecks
Editor
BELVIDERE – Residents in south and central Belvidere have noticed a strong odor that has been developing over the last few months. The Illinois EPA is investigating the source and cause of the odor and is working with Chrysler’s Belvidere Assembly Plant.
“We had a lot of complaints that alleged it was coming from th...e Chrysler plant,” Bill Hatfield from the Boone County Health Department said. “I have no evidence of a public health issue related to the odor.”
Hatfield conducted an organaleptic analysis to zero in from where the odor originated. As part of Hatfield’s analysis, he was able to exclude a sewage treatment sludge field as the source of the odor and determine that the source was from the area surrounding the Belvidere Assembly Plant. Hatfield’s organaleptic analysis consisted of driving on all sides of the plant and using his nose to smell the air on a windy day.
The Illinois EPA conducted a site visit at Chrysler and is working with the company to determine the origins and resolution of the odor. “The company has retained an environmental consultant to assist in identifying the source and resolution to the odors,” Kim Briggs from the Illinois EPA’s public information office said. “The inspection report is still being finalized.”
“We’ve had the EPA out several times and so far, no one has been able to identify the source or cause of the odor,” Jodi Tinson from the Chrysler Group said. “We continue to work with the EPA and cooperate fully in their investigation.”
“Until we know what is causing the odor, we can’t make any modifications or address the situation.”
“I wonder if Chrysler is doing something differently than in the past,” asked an area resident who did not want to be identified. The resident wondered if a manufacturing process or materials change within the last six months was the reason why the odor developed recently.See More

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