Will County News

The Illinois Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting tonight, October 25, 2011 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Jacob Henry Mansion at 15 South Richards Street in Joliet. The meeting will be a chance for citizens to meet with IDOT officials in an open-house format to discuss the Chicago to St. Louis high speed rail service.  According to IDOT, there will be no formal presentation, so the public is invited to attend anytime between 4 and 7 p.m..

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is sponsoring a free screening of documentary "Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for Our Time"on Saturday, October 15th, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. at the historic Mar Theatre in Wilmington, Illinois. Here are some images of the Mar Theatre, located just off Route 53--old Route 66--at 121 S. Main Street in Wilmington, Illinois: Built in 1937 at the cost of $50,000, the Mar maintains its original ticket booth, main stage, and marquee. Aldo Leopold is considered a father of the conservation movement.  His collection of essays in "The Sand County Almanac" has sold millions of copies and in the essays Leopold describes his idea of a land ethic, the responsible relationship between people and the land.  For more information on Leopold and a preview of the film, view the trailer from "Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for Our Time": Having grown up in Will County and witnessed the rapid building of warehouses, ...

The group STAND--Shut This Airport Nightmare Down--is holding a "Footprint Harvest Fest" this Sunday, October 9, in rural Will County.  The event will be held from 3 pm to 7 pm at the Verduin farm at 1851 W. Church Road, Beecher, Illinois. STAND states it is reaching out to individuals, groups, and elected officials to "help prevent this politically-driven project from becoming a reality." The keynote speaker at the Footprint Harvest Fest will be Jon Stewart, the main organizer of the successful campaign to stop a 3rd runway at Heathrow Airport in London. STAND members say they are fighting to stop the State of Illinois from using eminent domain to gain control of land in the footprint of the proposed Peotone Airport.  Anthony Rudis--a 100 year old owner of property in the footprint--may be in attendance.   Regarding the state's plan to use eminent domain to take his land, Rudis stated: "This land is not for sale, I do not want them on my property and...

2013 MANHATTAN CIVIL WAR DAYS The Manhattan Park District's Round Barn Farm Park will host Manhattan Days of Old and a Civil War reenactment Saturday, June 23rd and Sunday, June 24th, 20, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day.  Admission is 5:00 per adult and $2.00 for children age 12 and under. Events will include: 150 infantry, calvary and artillery re-enactors portraying the Battle of Shilo, music, displays regarding Civil War medicine, kids' activities, and handmade soaps for purchase. 2010 Manhattan Days of Old: Civil War Reenactors discuss the use of the cannon during the Civil War at the Manhattan Park District "Days of Old" at the Baker-Koren Round Barn Farm Park. Musicians played Civil-War era music: More from the 2010 Manhattan Days of Old here .

Operation Care Package is a volunteer, 501C public charity dedicating to supporting our Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, and Airmen through care packages.   The group has sent thousands of care packages to troops stationed around the world. Operation Care Package will be holding a benefit this Saturday, August 6, 2011 from 4 PM to 10 PM at Bit O' Blarney Pub in Manhattan, Illinois.   The event will feature live music, great raffles, a cash bar, and a live auction.  Entrance is 10 dollars and all proceeds go directly to Operation Care Package and their mission of sending care packages to the members of our military. Example of a care package shipped to members of our military by Operation Care Package. Operation Care Package Benefit to be held in Manhattan, Illinois this Saturday, August 6, 2011.

The Illinois Department of Transportation will hold a public open house Thursday, August 4, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Renaissance Center at 214 North Ottawa Street in Downtown Joliet.   IDOT officials will answer the public's questions regarding the Dwight to Joliet section of the St. Louis to Chicago high speed rail project. The Chicago to St. Louis high speed rail project was one of the first in the nation's High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail program. More info on high-speed rail coming to Joliet:  http://www.connectthemidwest.com/tag/station/ http://www.idothsr.org/ Video of 4h of July Fireworks over Union Station in Downtown Joliet:

Governor Quinn will be in Tinley Park tomorrow for a Soutland Chamber of Commerce event.  STAND--Shut This Airport Nightmare Down--a local group opposed to the proposed Peotone Airport, will also be outside the event demonstrating against the use of eminent domain for the land proposed to be used for the Peotone Airport.  Full story at Peotone Airport News .