Will County News

By Ann Baskerville JOLIET--Hundreds packed the Our Lady of Mount Caramel Parish Hall on Joliet's East Side tonight to begin organizing efforts against a possible immigrant detention center in Joliet, Illinois. Town Hall Meeting on the Joliet Immigrant Prison A priest and a representative from the Diocese of Joliet quoted scripture while citizens who organized a successful campaign against a private, for-profit immigrant detention center in Crete , Illinois told the crowd, "We are with you" and "Si, se puede" to a standing ovation. Signs against the Crete and Joliet Immigrant Detention Centers Pastor Craig Purchase spoke out against an immigrant detention center, saying: "we in the black community should not tolerate this issue."  Purchase said at one point he did not hold the position he had now because he had not yet put himself in the shoes of an undocumented person.  Purchase said when you really understand this issue, it's a "

Anthony Rudis:  A Conservationist Anthony Rudis was proud of his heritage, strong in his faith, and committed to protecting the environment. He shared the values he honed through a century of learning and caring. He was proud to say he had planted a rainforest for Peotone—planting thousands of trees on the land he furiously protected from the state’s plan for a third airport at Peotone. His multi-decade opposition to the proposed airport was, he said, based on a single, simple fact: “There is no need.” In 2004, Rudis and his late wife, Mary, donated 90 acres of land at Egyptian Trail and Eagle Lake Road in eastern Will County to Loyola University in Chicago for field study in biology and environmental studies. He gave the land with no conditions, he said.   He often hosted tours of the farm, telling visitors that the thousands of tree planted as part of his conservation plans purified the air.  In 2001, the couple was named the Conservation Farm Family of the

By Mary Baskerville Carriage Stone Communications JOLIET—The gathering at Sacred Heart Church on the Friday morning after Thanksgiving was equal parts fellowship and solidarity.   Practicing chants, the group gathered, held hands and joined in a prayer asking for a blessing on workers and to show support for Wal-Mart workers struggling with what the organizers say is less than a living wage, before going to Jefferson Street to march in front of the store’s entrance drive. Sue Myers of Frankfort marched in the bitterly cold wind because she wanted to show support for the workers, who deserve to paid a living wage, she said. “I feel Wal-Mart is unfair,” Pam Leddy, of Joliet, said as she stood to the entrance of Wal-Mart off Jefferson Street: “It’s a very high price to a community for their prices.” Will County Board District 5 member Reed Bible  said he was standing in “support of the Wal-Mart workers” for better wages and benefits. Will County Board District 4 memb

Jesse Jackson Jr. has formally resigned his House Seat.  Jackson was re-elected to the Illinois Second Congressional District in the November 2012 election. In his resignation letter, Jackson described his work for the 2nd District throughout his time in Congress.  In his letter Jackson says a Peotone airport will employ 300,000 people.  The letter goes on to say " sitting on the Governor’s desk 400,000,000 proposal for an airport that will cost the taxpayers nothing and only awaits the Governor’s commitment to build it." Read the entire resignation letter here. More on the Peotone Airport .

Will County is at the heart of both the nation's freight distribution system and recent action by workers to change how WalMart treats workers at its warehouses and retail stores.  Will County--where all 6 Class A Railroads meet--is home to the nation's largest inland port---two intermodals where trains bring freight from the coast for transfer to truck and distribution to a big-box store near year.  If you live in Will County you have probably seen the long intermodal trains carrying containers headed into the intermodals in Joliet and Elwood. In September 2012, workers at the massive WalMart warehouse in Elwood, Illinois went on strike for unfair labor practices.  The workers---employed through the staffing agency Roadlink to work at the WalMart warehouse which is run by Schneider Logistics---presented management with a petition about workers' concerns about wage theft, unsafe conditions, and discrimination.  Workers were told they to leave the building, and then went o

To view all Will County election results, go here . Results will start to post after polls close at 7:00 p.m. and will continue to update throughout the night as more votes are counted.

Voters in the Manhattan-Elwood Public Library District once again voted on a referendum for the Manhattan-Elwood Public Library.  Voters were asked whether the library should purchase the HomeStar Bank Building on Gougar and Sweedler Road to use for a new library. To view the library referendum results from the November 6,  2012 election, go here  and scroll down to the bottom. Results will begin to be posted after the polls close at 7:00 p.m. and will continue to be tabulated throughout the night.

Opponents of the Peotone Airport and the Illiana Expressway met to protest plans for the Illiana Expressway, calling it "Illiana Neosprawl".  In October 2012, the Illiana Planning Team announced corridor "B3" and a "No Build" option would continue forward for further study.  The B3 corridor travels from near Lowell, Indiana to Wilmington, Illinois and passes through a mapped "South Suburban Airport".    The protest took place outside State Senator Toi Hutchinson's office in Olympia Fields.  Hutchinson introduced legislation allowing for quick take eminent domain for a public-private Illiana Expressway. Protest Against the Peotone Airport and the Illiana Expressway Symerton landowner whose farm would be affected by the Illiana B3 Anthony Rayson of STAND then gave a statement condemning the proposed Illiana as an engine of sprawl in Southern and Eastern Will County:

The Illiana Expressway planners met this week in Peotone, identifying two options to continue forward:  Building the expressway designed to link Interstate 55 in Illinois with Interstate 65 in Indiana along a route running roughly from Wilmington to Peotone Or, consider a no action. The final Tier 1 Corridor Planning Group/Technical Task Force meeting was held Oct. 9, 2012 at the Will County Atrium. A graphic presentation of the comparison by the Illiana Planning Team between routes is posted. Go here--- http://illianacorridor.org/get_involved/cpg_ttf.aspx  for a full report.  Interactive Map of the B3 Corridor---- HERE . According to the website, a formal announcement will be made in November or December of the preferred actions.          The presentation by the study committee calls Corridor B3 best for:        • Attracting cars and trucks to the Illiana        • Reducing E-W regional travel hours        • Reducing trucks on Study Area local roads        • S

Elwood, Illinois During a march and rally in support of warehouse workers who are on strike for unfair labor practices, several members of the clergy were arrested for blocking the road.   The clergy sat and formed a line in front of WalMart's giant warehouse.  The Elwood police gave several warnings that people needed to be out of the street.  The people sitting in the road were arrested by officers from the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System after those officers also gave a warning.  According to its website , the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System, " was formed in 2002  in response to the September 11th attacks as a joint venture of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association, and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.  We were created to meet the needs of local law enforcement throughout the State of Illinois in matters of mutual aid, emergency response and the combining of resources for public safety and terrorism prevention

Members of Moveon.org, SEIU Health Care Workers, and members of the community joined striking warehouse workers on the picket line outside the Schneider Logistics-run WalMart distribution center in Elwood, Illinois. Strike outside the WalMart warehouse in Elwood, IL Here a striking worker explains his experience in the WalMart warehouse: Strike outside the WalMart warehouse in Elwood, IL Strike outside the WalMart warehouse in Elwood, IL About 30 workers employed by Roadlink walked off the job after being told by Roadlink management they were no longer welcome in the warehouse after the workers presented Roadlink management a petition asking for better wages and working conditions.  Roadlink supplies workers for the warehouse which is run by Schneider.   WalMart contracts Schneider to run the warehouse and Schneider in turn grants contracts to staffing companies to supply workers for the warehouse.  There are also employees who are employed directly by Schneider. A

On Saturday September 15, 2012 workers employed by Roadlink Workforce Solutions working at the Schneider-run WalMart warehouse in Elwood presented management a petition asking for a living wage, a safe workplace, regular hours, and permanent jobs. According to Phillip Bailey, one of the workers who both presented the petition and is named in a lawsuit suing Roadlink for non-payment of wages, after the workers presented the petition, the workers were told they were "no longer welcome in the building."  Later, some of the workers received a phone message stating "they were suspended until pending management review."  Bailey said 5 or 6 people got that message.   After learning they were "no longer welcome in the building" about 30 workers walked out and went on strike for retaliation which is an unfair labor practice under the National Labor Relations Act.   Workers say they tried to petition management for better conditions, were retaliated agains

Warehouse workers working at the WalMart distribution center in Elwood, Illinois are on strike.  The warehouse is not run by WalMart, but by Schneider Logistics. According to a Warehouse Workers for Justice Press Release: "Workers at Wal-Mart's largest distribution center went on strike today to protest illegal retaliation and other labor abuses. "This comes just days after workers at the California warehouse that supplies Wal-Mart stores walked off the job to protest illegal retaliation and poor working conditions. " The workers are asking for people to support the workers by signing a petition to WalMart CEO Michael Duke and also by joining the strike line:  " We need your support now more than ever.  Please sign our petition to Walmart CEO Michael Duke. For those of you in the Chicago area, we'd like to invite you to join us on the strike line at 26453 Center Point Drive, Elwood, IL.  Please also consider donating to our strike fund. &quo

In February 2012 the historic Wilmington Train Depot was demolished to make way for upgrades to the track for high speed rail between Chicago and St. Louis: The Depot was remembered at the Will County Fair 2012.  Andrew Stanton of Wilmington created a model of the Depot and won Best of Show for his efforts: Model of the Wilmington Train Depot Model of Wilmington Train Depot Model of demolished Wilmington Train Depot Model of Wilmington Train Depot Model of Wilmington Train Depot Model of Wilmington Train Depot in the Exhibition Hall at the Will County Fair

Updated info presented at an August 2013 Meeting at the Will Township building: Updated Maps of Illiana Corridor B3 (June 2013) Here are the maps showing the proposed B3 route for the proposed Illiana Expressway.  Maps are from the Illiana Corridor Study Draft Environmental Impact Statement: Add caption Map of the proposed Illiana Expressway Corridor B3 route through Symerton and crossing Cedar Road Map of the proposed Illiana Expressway Corridor B3 route as it connects with I-57 and goes south of Peotone Map of the proposed Illiana Expressway Corridor B3 route as it travels south of Beecher Map of the proposed Illiana Expressway Corridor B3 near the Illinois-Indiana State Line Map of the proposed Illiana Expressway Corridor B3 route as it connects with I-65 in Indiana Go HERE for an interactive map of the B3 Corridor.

UPDATE 2: April 2013 Public Meetings on Tier Two of the Illiana Corridor Study Here are the maps showing the proposed A3S2 route for the proposed Illiana Expressway.  Maps are from the Illiana Corridor Study Draft Environmental Impact Statement: Proposed Illiana Expressway A3S2 corridor from I-65 in Indiana, north of Lowell, Indiana Illiana Corridor A3S2 alignment south and east of Beecher, Illinois Illiana Corridor A3S2 as it goes north of the proposed Peotone Airport Illiana Corridor A3S2 as it travels south of Pauling Road Proposed Illiana Corridor A3S2 as it travels south of Manhattan, Illinois  Illiana Corridor A3S2 as it travels north of Elwood, Illinois and near Channahon, Illinois to connect with I-55

In the midst of one of the worst droughts in 50 years, the 2012 Will County Fair will celebrate rural life and agriculture Wednesday, August 22 through Sunday, August 26th in Peotone, Illinois. Display of Fruits and Vegetables at the Will County Fair  Dairy cattle at the Will County Fair Goats at the Will County Fair Schedule of Events: Wednesday, August 22  "FAMILY DAY" 10:00 a.m. Fair Opens to Public - $4.00 Gate Admission Per Person, Children under 10 FREE 4:00 p.m. Carnival opens - All Rides $1.50 ea. or 16 for $20.00. www.luehrs.com  for coupons 5:30 p.m. 5th annual Children's Ping Pong Ball Drop 5:30 pm FREE Thursday, August 23 -  "Senior Citizen's Day" and "Veterans Day" 8:00 a.m. Fair Opens to Public - Senior Citizens and Veterans $2.00 Gate Admission per Person (All Day and Evening) $4.00 Gate Admission per Person, Children under 10 FREE 4:00 - 11:00 p.m. "Ride-A-Thon Night" - Ride any ride as often as you

By Mary Baskerville Carriage Stone Communications MANHATTAN--The Manhattan Village Board is expected to vote on a resolution calling for construction of the Illiana Expressway during its regular village board meeting slated for 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, August 7. The draft resolution calls for construction of the B3 alternative, the more southerly of the two routes identified by the Illinois Department of Transportation. The draft resolution reports that truck traffic in the region is projected to increase by more than 200 percent by 2040. The draft resolution says the more northerly A3S2 corridor “travels adjacent to the Village of Manhattan Town Center which would severely disrupt the commercial and compact residential development potential around our Metra Station.” Map from the Illiana Corridor Draft Environmental Impact Statement showing the route of the preliminarily recommended A3S2 corridor through Manhattan Township The draft resolution asks for interch

By Ann Baskerville Hundred of citizens attended a public hearing on the proposed Illiana Expressway tonight at Peotone High School.   The hearing was held by the Illinois and Indiana Departments of Transportation for the purpose of presenting and requesting comments on the Illiana Corridor Study Tier 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).  The EIS describes results of the study team's evaluation of the three proposed corridors (A3S2, B3, and B4) and the "no-build" alternative that have been carried forward for further study. Detailed map of the proposed corridors here . A group from Lowell, Indiana collects signatures against the building of the Illiana Expressway Several elected officials and candidates for office attended the meeting.  State Representative Larry Walsh, Jr. stated he is "not a big fan of the A3S2" corridor.  Walsh stated the purpose of the Illiana is to be an alternative to Interstate 80, and, with the A3S2 corridor connec

By Ann Baskerville Thanks to support from the National Forest Foundation, eight graduates from North Lawndale College Prep High School are working on restoration and conservation projects at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie this summer.   In 2011 Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie was named part of the National Forest Foundation’s  Treasured Landscapes   campaign.  The focus of the campaign is to restore forests and Americans' connection to these public lands.  The National Forest Foundation is a non-profit organization charted by Congress and focused on connecting people to their National Forests.  “As part of the National Forest Foundation’s   Treasured Landscapes   campaign, we have made it a priority to connect urban residents and youth to our spectacular National Forest System,” said National Forest Foundation’s President Bill Possiel. “Thanks to a generous donor, we were able to give a team of high school youth from the Chicago area the chance to help transform Midew