with Bruce Oscar
New Report LInks Global Warming to Extreme Weather
A Chicago advocacy group is calling on Congress to stand behind the Clean Air Act. Environment Illinois released a report yesterday that links global warming to the some recent incidents of extreme weather. The organization’s Christine Del Priore says Environment Illinois is concerned by a recent push in the Senate to roll back different aspects of the Clean Air Act. She tells WDCB News if anything clean-air legislation needs to be strengthened. According to the Environment Illinois report, global warming is projected to bring more frequent heavy downpours and snow falls resulting in increased flooding issues all over the Midwest. Del Priore says curbing global warming won’t be easy … but maintaining the strength of the Clean Air Act is necessary first step.
DuPage County Board Approves Bond Initiative
Members of the DuPage County Board voted 10-7 to approve a $69.9 million
bonding program yesterday. The borrowing plan will allow the county to move forward on 18 capitol improvement projects. But not everyone is happy about the bond initiative which could cost Dupage citizens $125 million over it’s lifetime. Several residents both for and against the spending plan spoke during the public-comments section of yesterday’s board meeting. Some of the residents who opposed the bonding initiative held signs and shouted slogans during the meeting. And a man running to be the next chairman of the DuPage County Board made his feelings known about the program. State Senator Dan Cronin criticized the proposal.
Current county board chairman Bob Schillerstrom dismissed those criticisms and said the plan will improves Dupage County. Road construction, floodplain improvements, IT upgrades and a new kitchen for the DuPage County convalescent center are among the projects included in
the bonding initiative.
For more details on the program click here. Madigan Targets Crib Campaign
A national trade organization will launch an ad campaign this week to promote a line of products that has generated a number of product re-calls in the past three years. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan is blasting the Juvenile Products Manufacturer's Association's plan to promote "drop-side" cribs is disturbing. She says the style of cribs are responsible for hundreds of deaths over the years. Madigan tells WDCB
News she has issues with the J-P-M-A's effort to promote this style of child bedding. She says there is no safe design for a drop side crib and the J-P-M-A doesn't seem at all interested in promoting safe products for parents and children. Madigan says the J-P-M-A continues to put its seal of approval on "drop side" cribs even though the Consumer Product Safety Commission is close to banning them altogether. She says since 20-07 nine-point-five million "drop-side" cribs have been re-called in the United States.
OHare Project Needs Money And Airline Support
While the cost of the O'Hare modernization project is going higher...DePaul University Transportation Studies professor Joe Schweiterman says it isn't out of control. The Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday the city will seek one billion dollars in additional bond funds for the massive project. Meantime...O'Hare's biggest tenants...American
and United Airlines still are fully onboard with paying for the project. Schweiterman tells WDCB News the airlines are still stinging from higher landing fees the city imposed earlier this year. He says American and United still aren't happy about the higher fees and the prospect of having
to finance portions of the O'Hare modernization that will benefit future competitors. Schweiterman says at this point there doesn't seem to be much dialog between the city and the airlines. Despite that he thinks the airlines will ultimately agree to help finance the project although it could be smaller than originally planned.
Illinois Emergency Management Agency Reminds You To Be Prepared
Being prepared for and emergency can mean the difference between life and death. The Illinois Emergency Management agency’s Patti Thompson says you should have an emergency plan in place and a kit that includes at least three days worth of food and water. Thompson says you should also have a radio…flashlight...a first aid-kit and any medications you may need. Thompson says as part of National Preparedness month the Illinois department of emergency management is doing their part to get the word out about being prepared with a series of radio spots. Thompson says when disaster strikes the general public plays a key role in helping because first responders are not always immediately available. The Summer's Last Fling
Naperville’s annual farewell to summer kicks off today, but The Last Fling isn’t just one of the area’s biggest festivals … it also helps raise money for local charities and non-profits. While the Naperville Exchange Club plans the city’s popular Ribfest in early July, it’s the
Naperville Jaycees who organize The Last Fling. Tom Manno is a member of the suburban Jaycees group. He tells WDCB News the Last Fling has been a Labor Day weekend tradition for over 3 decades.
Com-Ed's "Innovation Corridor" To Test New Technologies
A number of communities across the region are testing "smart meter" technologies to give consumers a way to better monitor their electric usage. Com-Ed has joined in the test in an area adjacent to the Eisenhower expressway...the utilitiy company identified nine communities as part of its "innovation corridor." Com-Ed's Val Jensen says the area will serve as a living lab for a variety of new technologies. Jensen tells WDCB News people in the "innovation corridor" will have the chance to test more than just smart meters. He says Com-Ed also plans to test a variety of different rate structures in the area and will build next generation sub-stations to serve the area. Jensen says the "innovation corridor" will also be a testing ground for solar panel technology and charging stations for electric vehicles. He says Com-Ed chose the area along the Ike because it is a true representation of the company's overall service area.
Illinois Roads Rank 40th In The Nation
For the past 19 years...the Los Angeles based Reason Foundation has done a state-by-state comparison of the nation's road system. The group says Illinois ranks 40th in the country...down four notches from last year. Researcher David Hartgen says the report found the state's rural interstate system is in pretty good shape...but the condition of urban interstates didn't fare so well. He says Illinois has an average amount of road miles...but a bigger than average budget to maintain those roads. Hartgen tells WDCB News even though the state ranks 40th overall...the ranking really is all bad. He says the Illinois road system faces a challenge of traffic congestion that many states don't have to deal with and that congestion comes from a higher than average number of vehicles on the road. Hartgen says the impact of winter weather on the state's road system also impacted the ranking in a way that many states don't have. He says the Reason Foundation report is the only national comparison of road systems in every state. Naperville's Mayoral Race Getting Crowded
This fall's election is still weeks away...but Naperville's Mayoral race has already attracted two candidates. Kenn Miller officially announced this week that he's ready to move from a member of the city council to the city's top office. Current Mayor George Pradel is wrapping up his fourth term and also announced he'll seek re-election in the municipal election.
Miller says he isn't running against Pradel...he's running to offer a different perspective for the city. He tells WDCB News his business experience could be a valuable resource for the financially struggling city. He says the city has to attract new jobs and businesses to boost its financial situation because the city council can't keep cutting positions and services and residents can't afford a tax increase. He says Naperville can't afford to continue eliminating positions and cutting city services...but it can't just raise taxes on residents that are already dealing with a soft economy. Like many communities in the area...Naperville has made deep cuts to its city budget in each of the past two years.
Kane County Managing TB Outbreak
For nearly a year...the Kane County Health Department has been managing an
outbreak of Tuberculosis. The Department's Tom Schlueter says the outbreak first surfaced at an Aurora based homeless shelter in October of last year. Since then...he says the department has worked to make sure it's tracking each of the cases associated with the outbreak. Schlueter tells WDCB News the Kane County Health Department has done two mass screenings to see if the outbreak is spreading. He says nearly 200 people were tested for the disease in the last screening and another mass screening is planned for some time next month. Schlueter says to date there have been 17 confirmed tuberculosis cases associated with this outbreak. He says each of the cases are being treated and the patients seem to be responding to treatment...in recent years drug resistant strains of T-B have
surfaced across the country. WDCB News Podcasts |