Will County News

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 Will County Threshermen's Association is celebrating the 50th year of their annual Antique Tractor, Steam and Gas Engine Show from July 19-22, 2012 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Dollinger Family Farm, located at 7502 E. Hansel Road in Channahon, Illinois. The event features of many types of antique tractors, especially vintage steam engines.  The members conduct demonstrations during the show such as: Wheat threshing, the process of seperating the wheat grain from the chaff: Antique tractor parades: Antique Tractors: Plowing Demonstrations: Saw Milling with Steam Engines: and much more! Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children 11 and under. Show Schedule: Thursday, July 19th 9:00 am Grounds Open 10:00 am Threshing 10:30 am Corn Shelling 12:00 pm NOON Whistle 1:30 pm Parade of Power 3:00 pm Threshing 3:15 pm Corn Shelling 6:00 pm Members & Exhibitors Appreciation Picnic Friday, July 20th 9:00 am Ground Open 10:00 am Threshing 10:30 am...

By Ann Baskerville JOLIET--Striking machinists at the Caterpillar plant in Joliet were joined on the picket line Saturday July 14, 2012 by several community members and two steelworkers who work at a Caterpillar plant in South Milwaukee. The Wisconsin workers stated their contract with Caterpillar is up in the coming months and they fear they may be in the same boat as the striking machinists at the Joliet plant. Picket line outside the Caterpillar plant in Joliet, Illinois.  The machinists have been on strike since May 1, 2012. Steelworkers from Milwaukee came down to Joliet to stand on the picket line with the machinists Picket line on Route 6 outside the Caterpillar plant in Joliet Machinists on strike at the Joliet Caterpillar plant Picket line outside the Joliet Caterpillar plant Around 7 p.m., two large buses left the Caterpillar plant to shouts of "scab" from the picket line: Caterpillar has advertised for temporary workers for its Jolie...

According to the Fox Valley Labor News Facebook page, there are two rallies planned to support striking machinists at the Caterpillar plant in Joliet.  The first rally is set for this Saturday, July 14, 2012 at 10 a.m. outside the Caterpillar plant on Route 6. The second is for the same day--Saturday the 14th--starting at 7 p.m..  Info from the Fox Valley Labor News Facebook page: "Workers Unite!! The time is now for us to stand up and fight back against corporate greed. The annual compensation of Caterpillar Inc.’s chairman and chief executive rose 60 percent in 2011, as the company posted record revenue of $60.1 billion. Now they seek to freeze th e pay, and cut the benefits of the very men and women that make their products. Join us Saturday July 14th at 7:00p.m. and begin the night with a SOLIDARITY bicycle ride to spread the word that workers are coming together and fighting back. The ride will depart from the picket line and return to it at around 9:30p.m. At 10:00p.m...

The next public hearing in Illinois on the proposed Illiana Expressway willl be: Tuesday, July 31, 2012 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. Peotone High School                       605 West North Street                    Peotone, IL 60468 A public hearing will be held in Indiana the next day: Wednesday, August 1, 2012 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. Lowell Middle School 19250 Cline Ave. Lowell, IN 46356 Here is the announcement of the public meetings from the Illiana Corridor website : Tier 1 Public Hearing Announced Tier 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to be Released for Public Comment The Illinois and Indiana Departments of Transportation (IDOT and INDOT) are holding a public hearing. The purpose of the hearing is to gain stakeholder input on the Tier 1 Draft Environmental...