Will County News

Will County Townships used to be dotted with one-room schoolhouses. For example, this 1909 plat of Manhattan Township maps the location of several one-room schoolhouses: 1909 Plat Map of Manhattan Township, Will County, Illinois Will County News was recently fortunate to be given a copy of a circa 1938 photo of a one-room schoolhouse in Manhattan Township.  It looks like this was a fairly small class.  I like the Will County Map hanging on the wall: Will County One-Room Schoolhouse

by ann baskerville Willcountynews interviewed State Senator AJ Wilhelmi , a Democrat who represents the 43rd State Senate District.  Wilhelmi is facing Republican Cedra Crenshaw in the November election. Issue 1:What is Wilhelmi most proud of achieving as a State Senator I asked Wilhelmi what 3 things he was most proud of accomplishing as a State Senator so far. First, Wilhelmi said he was proud to have "had the honor of sponsoring the " Let Them Rest in Peace Act " in 2006 which prohibits hate groups from harassing families who are burying their loved one who died while serving our country in the military.  The bill was necessary because groups were protesting US military policy by showing up at service members' funerals and causing a disruption to the grieving family, protesting at a "completely and totally inappropriate time," Wilhelmi said.  The bill passed with overwhelming support and as he stood on the floor of the State Senate as the bi

First a Debbie Halvorson sign was defaced on Rt. 45 in Kankakee County. Now a Youtube video shows a Cedra Crenshaw sign cut up and dumped in a ditch: This is ridiculous.  The elections are obviously very highly contested this year, but it is wrong to deface or destroy anyone else's property, period.  We have received reports from numerous other campaigns in the area that signs were stolen, knocked-down, or otherwise tampered with. Is this the work of a few bad apples?  Teenagers having "fun"?  Maybe.   The point is regardless of how you are going to vote in the election, we are all citizens of this area and need to do our part to maintain law and order.

by ann baskerville Will County News  recently sat down with Republican candidate for the 43rd State Senate seat Cedra Crenshaw .  Crenshaw faces incumbent Democrat AJ Wilhelmi in this November's election. Issue One: Claims regarding Legislative Scholarships  Background: During a recent WJOL debate between Crenshaw and Wilhelmi, Crenshaw claimed Larry Walsh appointed Wilhelmi to his State Senate seat, and Wilhelmi then awarded Walsh's nephew Kevin Walsh a legislative scholarship. What was said on the WJOL debate : Wilhelmi: "My opponent has said that Larry Walsh appointed me to the Senate Seat.  That is not true....That is a falsehood.... Larry Walsh never appointed me to the Senate seat.... Secondly, Elwood's a small town, we get applications from Elwood, Manhattan, Joliet, Romeoville, Rockdale, Bolingbrook. The fact of the matter is, I have a very fair and balanced application process.  I have limited numbers of folks applying....and I don't think Larr

Adam Baumgartner explained why he is running for the Illinois State Senate during the Tax Town Hall held by Adam Baumgartner and Nick Been.  The 40th State Senate District includes parts of Cook, Will, Kankakee, and Iroquois County.  Baumgartner's opponent is Democrat  Toi Hutchinson . Adam Baumgartner explains why is running for State Senate and some of his positions:  

Beautiful fall colors are on display at Gerdes Grove and the Laughton Preserve in Wilton Center, Illinois.  The preserves are part of the Will County Forest Preserve District.  Laughton Preserve, Wilton Center, Illinois  Laughton Preserve, Wilton Center, Illinois  Laughton Preserve, Wilton Center, Illinois Gerdes Grove, Wilton Center, Illinois According to the Forest Preserve District of Will County's website : " Laughton Preserve began with the District's acquisition of an 8-acre parcel from the Gerdes family, and has grown to 430 acres from extensive acquisitions in the 1990s and in 2006.  The preserve contains approximately 2 miles of Forked Creek and has been left largely undisturbed, as it protects a remnant of the historic Twelve Mile Grove (a prairie grove 12 miles along the road from Joliet to Danville), portions of the 1832 Ce-Na-Ge-Wine and Joseph Laughton Reservations, and the historic Wallingford Settlement in Wilton Center on Joliet Road. The on

  Fall Colors of the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie along the Wauponsee Glacial Trail in Symerton, Illinois Fall Colors and corn crib along the Wauponsee Glacial Trail in Symerton, Illinois Fall Colors and old railroad ties along the Wauponsee Glacial Trail in Symerton, Illinois Fall Colors along the Wauponsee Glacial Trail in Symerton, Illinois, looking into the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

Responding to a recent  willcountynewsviewpoints post , Greg Bales--New Media Director for Debbie Halvorson for Congress--provided Congresswoman  Halvorson 's position on the estate tax-- "Congresswoman Halvorson believes that no family farm or small business should ever be lost because of the estate tax. That is why she is proud to co-sponsor H.R. 3905 the Estate Tax Relief Act.    This bipartisan bill raises the estate tax exemption level from $3.5 million to $5 million and indexes the exemption level to inflation, which would prevent the estate tax from hitting small businesses and family farms.  The legislation also reduces the top estate tax rate from 45% to 35%.  These changes are phased in over 10 years to minimize the impact on the deficit.  Congresswoman Halvorson believes that Congress should act on this legislation immediately in order to prevent the estate tax rate from rising back to 55% in 2011. " This is in line with the  Illinois Farm Bureau's po

Photos of beautiful fall colors in Will County!  Wauponsee Glacial Trail over Prairie Creek  Wauponsee Glacial Trail  Wauponsee Glacial Trail near Manhattan, Illinois  Looking west from the Wauponsee Glacial Trail Wauponsee Glacial Trail near the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

Now is a great time to head outdoors and enjoy beautiful fall colors in Will County! Two great places to enjoy the warm colors of autumn are the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie and the Wauponsee Glacial Trail . Here are some photos taken from the Wauponsee Glacial Trail between Manhattan and Symerton, Illinois:  Wauponsee Glacial Trail, between Manhattan and Symerton, Illinois  Fall Colors along the Wauponsee Glacial Trail Fall colors along the Wauponsee Glacial Trail, bridge over Prairie Creek near Manhattan, Illinois The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is also a great resource for Will County.  Many hiking and biking trails are currently open to the public. Photos from the Bailey Bridge Trail inside the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie:  Bailey Bridge Trail, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie   Klingler Cemetery gate inside the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Hedge apple on the Bailey Bridge Trail in the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Sign on the

by ann baskerville State Senator Toi Hutchinson , a Democrat,  represents the Illinois 40th State Senate District, one of the most economically and topographically diverse districts in the state: map from toihutchinson.com H utchinson was appointed to the 40th State Senate seat on January 5, 2009 to serve the remainder of Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson's unexpired term.  Prior to her appointment, Hutchinson served as Halvorson's chief of staff.  Hutchinson is being challenged this November by Republican Adam Baumgartner . Hutchinson has heard one consistent concern from residents of the 40th District: "jobs, jobs jobs, jobs, jobs."  Hutchinson's conversations with constituents have focused her determination  to pass legislation that brings jobs to the 40th district.  For example, Hutchinson said she is   extremely proud of her work in passing the Illiana Expressway legislation because it is projected to  create 4,300 short-term construction jobs a