Will County News

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 .

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 ...

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 Distri...

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...

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.