Will County News

In-Person Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace Counselors from the Will County Health Department will be at the Manhattan-Elwood Public Library Tuesday, December 3, 2013 from 6-7 p.m..  The Will County Health Department received a $400,000 grant from the State of Illinois to hire the In-Person Counselors, spread the word about the Health Insurance Marketplace, and enroll people in health care plans.  The Counselors will provide information on the Affordable Care Act---commonly known as Obamacare---and discuss Medicaid eligibility and tax credit eligibility.   People who attend the event at the library will also be able to schedule an appointment with an In-Person Counselor so that the Counselor can help you enroll in the Health Insurance Marketplace.   In-Person Counselors will be at the Manhattan-Elwood Public library on December 11, 2013 from 12:00 PM---7:00 to help people with online health care enrollment.   To schedule an appointment or for more information, call the Will

Here are some photos from the 2013 Wilmington Holiday Parade: Wilmington Fire Department Engine with Christmas Lights Window with Christmas Angel in a Wilmington Antique Store Window People line the streets of downtown Wilmington to wait for the parade Wilmington, Illinois will celebrate the Holiday season with a Holiday Light Parade and Tree Lighting on Saturday, November 30 at 5 p.m..  Following the parade, there will be an  ice carving demonstration and a performance by the Wilmington ShowCats under the gazebo.  

By Mary Baskerville The Will County Farm Bureau’s 100-year history was celebrated November 23, 2013 at the Weitendorf Agricultural Education Center on Laraway Road. Drawing farmers, county and state leaders, and agriculture educators and supporters together, the event included a display of farm life spanning the century. Will County Board member Ken Harris said the displays were very interesting to him because as a County Board member it is helpful to gain information about agriculture and "understand the farmers and the people that are affected."  Harris is standing by a display of a John Deere corn husker and John Deere wagon holding ear corn. Will County Farm Bureau President Tom Nugent welcomed keynote speaker Orion Samuelson saying that his reputation as the “voice of agriculture” for over a half-century on WGN Radio was vital in helping explain the role of farming to many. Will County Farm Bureau President Tom Nugent (left) and Orio

Manhattan will celebrate the Christmas Season with a Lighted Parade and Christmas Tree Lighting on Saturday, December 7th.  The parade starts at 6:00 p.m. and the tree lighting immediately follows. The Manhattan Park District is sponsoring cookies, activities, and a visit by Santa and Mrs. Claus for kids in the Program Center before the parade from 3:00--5:00 p.m. (sign up at Program Center).    There also will be live reindeer on Gustafson Street from 3:30--5:30 p.m.. On Friday, December 6th, the Lincoln-Way Central Madrigal Signers will perform at the Park District Program Center at 7:30 p.m..  Admission is free but you must register with the Park District by December 5th. The tree lighting is a great way for the entire community to come together to celebrate.  Here is the scene from a previous Christmas Tree lighting in Manhattan:

State Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, who represents the Illinois State Senate District 49, will host an info night on the Affordable Care Act, widely known as Obamacare, on October 2, 2013 in Plainfield. State Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant represents the 49th Illinois State Senate District Please see the press release below from Bertino-Tarrant's office for event details: "PLAINFIELD  – Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Shorewood) will be hosting a free informational seminar on the Affordable Care Act and how it will affect families, seniors and individuals on  October 2, 2013 from 6-7:30 p.m . at the Edward Plainfield Outpatient Center. AJ Wilhelmi, former State Senator and Chief Governmental Relations Officer for the Illinois Hospital Association, will be presenting at the event. “As we move closer to ACA implementation, many people are calling my office with questions about concerns such as pre-existing conditions, the effect on Medicare and even

Joliet Junior College Culinary Arts Professors demonstrate cooking with fresh ingredients at the JJC Farmers' Market By Ann Baskerville A $92,000 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture's Farmers' Market Promotion Program has allowed Joliet Junior College to create a weekly farmers' market on its campus.  According to the USDA website, the Farmer's Market Promotion Program: "o ffers grants to help improve and expand domestic farmers’ markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs, agri-tourism activities, and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities. Agricultural cooperatives, producer networks, producer associations, local governments, nonprofit corporations, public benefit corporations, economic development corporations, regional farmers’ market authorities and Tribal governments are among those eligible to apply. The maximum amount awarded for any one proposal cannot exceed $100,000. Over $9 million i

CMAP--The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning--has released public comment CMAP received regarding the proposed Illiana Expressway. CMAP received 965 comments on the Illiana.  169 comments supported including the Illiana Expressway in CMAP's GOTO2040 plan.  796 comments were opposed to the Illiana Expressway being included by CMAP in the GOTO2040 plan. Read all public comments submitted to CMAP here (this is a large document and will take a few minutes to load).

According to the group No Illiana For Us, representatives from the Illinois Department of Transportation and consultants working on the Illiana Corridor Study will attend the Tuesday, August 6 Will Township Board meeting at 7 p.m..  The Will Township building is located at 30317 South Will-Center Road in Peotone.

UPDATE: Maps and interchange drawings from the August 6, 2013 meeting at Will Township: At the June 2013 Illiana Corridor Public Meeting in Peotone, study team members presented a map showing which roads crossed by the Illiana B3 are under consideration for closure: Legend for B3 Illiana Expressway Map of How Roads will be affected by the B3, including roads under consideration for closure Map of possible road closures along the B3 route for the Illiana Expressway Map of possible road closures along the B3 route for the Illiana Expressway Map of possible road closures along the B3 route for the Illiana Expressway Map of possible road closures along the B3 route for the Illiana Expressway Map of possible road closures along the B3 route for the Illiana Expressway  Map of possible road closures along the B3 route for the Illiana Expressway Map of possible road closures along the B3 route for the Illiana Expressway Map of possible road closur

There will be an Illiana Expressway meeting tonight--June 18, 2013--in Peotone at Peotone High School.  The meeting is from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m..  The Illinois and Indiana Departments of Transportation will be presenting refinements to the B3 corridor including interchange types and locations, local road connectivity, overpass and underpass locations, and more. A question and answer forum will be held at 6:00 p.m..

State Senator Pat McGuire (Democrat, Joliet) has released the following statement following co-sponsoring and voting for Illinois Senate Bill 20, a bill which gives the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) control over building the Peotone Airport and calls for the airport to be operated in a public-private partnership: "Thousands of area men and women will have jobs building this airport, and thousands more will have permanent jobs at it," McGuire said. "The synergy between this airport, the Illiana Expressway, and our intermodal facilities should put. Will County on top of the economic heap for a long, long time." Proposals for the Illiana Expressway also include plans for a public-private partnership.   The B3 route for the Illiana Expressway, shown below, passes south of the proposed Peotone Airport's boundary: Illiana Expressway B3 alignment and Peotone Airport Footprint Map

At a recent Illiana Corridor Public Meeting in Peotone, the Illiana Planning Group presented images of concepts for interchanges at Route 45/52: Concepts for Illiana Expressway Interchanges at 45/52 Map of Illiana Expressway as it crosses Route 45 and 52 outside of Wilton Center For an updated map of the Illiana Expressway and possible road closures, go HERE .

Joliet Junior College's first Farmers Market is Thursday, May 23, 2013 from 3p.m. to 7 p.m. in the greenhouse area off Houbolt Road.  The market will continue every Thursday from 3-7 until October 24th (except July 4).  JJC received a $92,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) to establish the market.  According to JJC, the SNAP and LINK cards will be accepted as payment at the Farmers Market. For more info and a list of vendors, go here .

Joliet Junior College is offering a wide-range of summer classes and activities for kids of all ages. For Preschool Ages 3+, offerings include a Princess Tea Party, a Lightning McQueen story time and activity, Thomas the Train Story Time. For Grades 1-2, options include 4 day "Flat Stanley" and "Happy Birthday Amelia Bedelia"camps. For Grades 3-5, options include Golf Camp, Baking Basics, Learn to Sew for Kids, Crazy Contraptions, Junior Digital Photography, Computer Drafting for Kids, Astronomy Camp, Simple Machines, Drawing Camp, and more. For Grades 6-8, options include Technology Camp, Young Crime Solvers, 3D Animation, CPR for the Dynamic Super Sitter, Gaming Camp, Engineering Camp, and more. High School Students can take Introduction to Veterinary Medical Technology, Kids College Culinary Camp, and more. For more information on all the programs offered this summer at JJC, go HERE .

State Senators Pat McGuire and Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant voted against a bill allowing the construction of five new casinos in Illinois.  The bill-- State Bill 1739 --was passed by the Illinois State Senate on May 1, 2013. Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant issued the following statement following her vote against the gaming expansion bill: “While I understand the revenue that gaming expansion can provide our state, especially in terms of education and social services, I am worried about the impact that this expansion will have on my community.” Bertino-Tarrant fears the economic and local impact that increased gaming will have on residents of Will and Kendall counties. State Senator Pat McGuire (D-Joliet) issued the following statement after he voted against gaming expansion yesterday:  "We fought hard to keep the vote below the 34 needed to override a veto by the governor, and we did. I appreciate so many colleagues understanding that the market for casino gaming is

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Indiana Department of Transportation  (INDOT) are holding public meetings to explain "Tier Two"of the Illiana Expressway Study Process. Now that Corridor "B3" and a no-build option have been advanced into Tier Two of the study process, the study team will focus on the land along the B3 corridor.  During Tier Two, the team will investigate where to locate interchanges and study environmental impacts. The Illiana Corridor's website  claims an Illiana Expressway " will reduce the strain of truck traffic on local roads, improve safety, cut commuting times, reduce congestion, and improve accessibility to jobs. Environmentally, it will help to reduce the number of travel hours and fuel wasted as a result of cars and trucks caught in congestion. IDOT and INDOT estimate the project will create or retain more than 9,000 construction jobs immediately, and more than 25,000 long-term jobs." A group op

Jamie Doyle won election to be the Mayor for the Village of Manhattan today, April 9, 2013, according to unofficial election results on the Will County Clerk's page . Village of Manhattan Mayor's Race (Unofficial) Vote totals: Doyle--668 votes Borgo-- 390 votes Mike Adrieansen--360 votes Don Hunt--22 votes

The U.S. Forest Service will be holding an Open House on Wednesday April 3, 2013 for community members to come and learn more about the proposal to establish a bison herd on Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.  Staff and partners from the National Forest Foundation will be available to explain more about the proposal, the environmental assessment process, and answer questions.   The Open House will be held between the hours of 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. at the   Midewin Welcome Center-- 30239 S. State Route Illinois 53, Wilmington, IL. The Forest Service at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (Midewin) is proposing to establish a small herd of bison on the Prairie and will be preparing an environmental assessment for Bison Herd Establishment in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).  In partnership with the National Forest Foundation (NFF), Midewin is proposing to develop a bison grazing area on approximately 1,200 acres.  A herd of bison would be established a

On February 25th, 2013, people living in and near the proposed path of the Illiana Expressway B3 met in the Will Town Hall to form a new group which hopes to draw members from Lowell, Indiana to Wilmington, Illinois and beyond.  The new group--No Illiana 4 Us--has a wide range of concerns about the proposed tollway: sprawl, pollution and lowered air quality, land taken off local tax roles, quick take eminent domain, how the tollway will affect North-South travel, what roads will be closed, school bus routes, and more. Before the meeting started, people milled about and shared concerns: "Have you heard when they're going to start buying?"  "Have they been to your farm?"  When asked if he would "buy a farm down south" if the State took his land for the Illiana, one farmer replied: "if I go down south, they want $3,000 more an acre than what I'll get for my farm, I'll just quit." Group Outreach Coordinator Anthony Rayson stated the g

A group opposed to a possible for-profit immigrant detention center in Joliet, Illinois is hosting a fundraiser Friday, March 8th in Joliet.  The event held by the "Concerned Citizens of Joliet" will be held at Azteca de Oro Hall, 1013 Collins Street in Joliet and will go from 6 p.m. to midnight.  ICE--U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement--wants to build an immigrant detention center for illegal immigrants awaiting deportation near Chicago, Illinois and Joliet has been mentioned as a possible location.  The private corporation--Corrections Corporation of America, CCA--would build and manage the facility under a government contract.  Tickets are $5 per person and $15 per family. Co-Sponsors and Supporters of the event include: ICIRR (Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights)(La Coalición para los Derechos de Inmigrantes y Refugiados Del Estado de Illinois) Diocese of Joliet Office For Human Dignity (La oficina “Por La Dignidad Humana” de la Diócesis de Jo

Be sure to tune in to American Pickers tonight--March 4, 2012---at 8 P.M..  The pickers will be searching for antique treasures in Picker Mike Wolfe's hometown of Joliet, Illinois.  Mike is from Joliet and got his start picking and learning about bikes and other antiques in Joliet where he picked items and resold them.

Can the Illinois Department of Transportation use eminent domain to force landowners to sell their land to the State for the Peotone Airport?  That question will come before a judge in Will County Court tomorrow, February 26, 2013 at 9:30 a.m. in Joliet, Illinois.   The Illinois Department of Transportation's  right to use eminent domain at Peotone prior to an FAA record of decision is being challenged in Will County court by a Chicago law firm, Ryan and Ryan.   Ryan and Ryan are representing Carolyn and Richard Barbour, landowners in the proposed airport's footprint.  The lawsuit argues the State does not have the right to use eminent domain to gain ownership of the Barbour's land because IDOT has not received Federal Aviation Administration "FAA" approval to create and construct the Peotone Airport.   Susan Shea, Director of Aeronautics for IDOT, will be required to testify. For more on the "Peotone Airport", visit Peotone Airport News .