Will County News

I recently found some old newspaper clippings containing records of land bought by the US Government for the J oliet Army Ammunition Plant. Once farmers were told the Government decided to buy land near Elwood for the plant, the farmers had very little time to move. Some moved to farmland near the Arsenal, others moved farther away. Some houses and at least one barn were moved out of the Arsenal onto neighboring farms. You can click on the pictures below for larger views.

Enbridge tanks in Manhattan, Illinois Enbridge tanks in Manhattan, Illinois Construction of the Enbridge diluent tanks in Manhattan, Illinois Construction of the Enbridge diluent tanks in Manhattan, Illinois Construction of the Enbridge diluent tanks in Manhattan, Illinois The Canadian company Enbridge is building a pipeline and storage facility in Manhattan, Illinois. For more information on this project, visit:  http://www.enbridge.com/shipper/refiner/pdf/southern-lights-project-jan-2009.pdf  for a January 2009 update on the project which was posted on the Enbridge website. Also, check here for a great article from the Coal City Courant Newspaper regarding the pipeline, the use of eminent domain , and local reaction to the pipeline.

The Farmers Market in Manhattan has moved to the grounds of the historic Round Barn Farm. The focus is on “Fresh, home grown, farm grown and handmade items,” said Terry Bibeau, who coordinates the event for the Manhattan Park District . The Park District sponsors the event along with the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce . There are also health and wellness items, she said. Community organizations will also participate. Both the Manhattan Fire Department and the Manhattan Public Library were on-hand at Tuesday’s market. Hours are from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesdays through September.

The Bloom Biodiesel Bus was recently on display at the Will County Earth Day Event at Lockport's Dellwood Park. The bus runs on biodiesel created by Bloom High School students as part of the Honors Chemistry Curriculum.  The students turn waste vegetable oil into biodiesel, a 5-step process, displayed below: For more information on this program, visit its website: www.bloombiodiesel.com

Historically, agriculture has been a big industry in Will County. Dotting the Will County landscape are several corn cribs, such as this crib in front of the new Dollar Tree Distribution Site in Joliet: Ear corn is placed in the crib, and the slats between the boards allow air to circulate and dry the corn.   Corn that is harvested by combine is dried by an  electric dryer  before being stored in bins. Here is a picture of a farmer getting ready to get corn out of a crib: Here's a video of the corn removal, it's pretty shaky, but gives an idea of the process:

Veterans who served in conflicts ranging from World War II through the current Iraq War will participate in the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery’s Memorial Day Observance at 11:30 on Monday, May 25 th at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood. “Lincoln’s Legacy” is the theme of this year’s ceremony, featuring aerial flyovers, musical performance and military re-enactments. The 2009 Veterans Administration Lincoln Bicentennial Traveling Exhibit will commemorate the 200 th birth anniversary of America’s 16 th president Abraham Lincoln. The exhibit will be on display from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday (May 21) through Wednesday, May 27 at the Public Information Center. Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Daniel W. Grant is the keynote speaker. The annual event will feature a musical prelude by the Joliet American Legion Band , beginning at 11 a.m. For more information, contact Roseann Santore or Lynne Phelan at 815-423-9958....

Hundreds of attendees enjoyed a variety of exhibits by local groups at the Earth Day Event at Dellwood Park sponsored by  Citizens Against Ruining the Environment . Here are some photos of the event (you can click on the pictures for a larger view):