Winnebago County News

The Winnebago County Board should postpone the landfill expansion vote until a new board is in place later this year. Many good reasons exist to postpone the vote, but here are just three: legal, environmental and impact on economic development. As I outlined in my guest column “County opens itself up to a landfill lawsuit” (May 9-15 issue of The Rock River Times), the county risks an unnecessary lawsuit, and the expenses a lawsuit entails, by voting on the landfill expansion now... Read the article at: http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/07/11/guest-column-county-board-should-postpone-landfill-expansion-vote/

Throughout the recent landfill expansion hearings, Winnebago County Board members were told not to speak of the issue or hear testimony outside the hearing process. The laws are in place to ensure a fair and equal debate and allow for cross-examination by petitioner and challenger alike. Those are good laws, but why stick to the rules now? The board is not supposed to hear evidence outside the hearing process on zoning issues, either. However, a few years ago, board member Ted Biondo was allowed to discuss how he visited and inspected the land for a controversial housing development at a regular board meeting, a meeting where the public was not allowed to comment about the same topic... READ THE COMMENTARY: http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/05/09/guest-column-county-opens-itself-up-to-landfill-lawsuit/

 As residents of southeast Winnebago County, we wish to be on record opposing the expansion of the landfill for the following reasons that must be considered. • The smell from the current landfill is unbearable. We can smell it in our home with the windows closed. We live 2 miles from the landfill. We have smelled it on Perryville Road as far away as CherryVale. It totally affects our way of life... READ THE COMMENTARY: http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/04/25/guest-column-reasons-to-oppose-expansion-of-winnebago-landfill/

I strongly oppose expansion of the landfill!!! The only time they keep the area somewhat cleaned up is when they want something. They continually say they are working on the stench, but you would think that, if they really were working on it, they would have done something to eliminate the odor during these past years... READ THE COMMENTARY: http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/06/06/oppose-the-landfill-expansion/

Winnebago Landfill expansion needs to be stopped. I listened to a hydrogeologist speak. He said you never want to put a landfill where land is made up of sand, gravel and cavernous limestone: describing exactly where the landfill is sitting. There's the Glacial, Galena-Platteville Dolomite, and precious St. Peter's Sandstone aquifer... READ THE COMMENTARY: http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/07/03/put-people-before-landfill-greed/

 The Host County Agreement between Winnebago County and Winnebago Landfill Company (a William Charles company) passed at the Nov. 22 meeting by a vote of 24-1. I was the lone "no" vote on this issue. Let me tell you why I did not vote for the agreement. The county board members received the draft agreement via e-mail Thursday, Nov. 17 (only five days before the vote that will last for decades). The agreement paves the way for a massive expansion of the current landfill and covers the entire period of operation of the landfill expansion. This expansion will likely open in the year 2020, and is estimated to operate from 28 to 32 years after that date. The 16-page agreement contained significant changes from the current agreement. The Nov. 17 e-mail did not contain the current agreement or the current applicable ordinance that is also being amended (I requested these documents and received them in response Nov. 21 ­— only one day before the vote)... READ THE COMMENTARY: http

While most of us were focused on family and friends this Thanksgiving holiday, Winnebago County Board members voted Nov. 22 to offer a bargain-basement deal for all major trash haulers. Our county is now the preferred provider of land to destroy for landfill use. From Chicago to Madison, to Milwaukee and everywhere in between, as long as you haul 1,001 tons per day, Winnebago County is your place to dump, thanks to a deal reached between Winnebago County and Winnebago Landfill Company, LLC, principal office listed at 1401 N. Second St., Rockford, on the Illinois Department of State's website. William Charles Ltd. is at 1401 N. Second St., Rockford... READ THE COMMENTARY: http://rockrivertimes.com/2011/11/30/guest-column-come-ye-come-all-winnebago-county-board-members-voted-away-1-5-million-in-revenue/

Winnebago County – During this extreme heat wave please conserve electricity by turning off lights, televisions, computers, and electrical devices that are not in use, particularly during daytime hours. It is at these time electrical demand is the greatest. Turning your lights off, will help other keep the lights on.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka announced June 20 that she has added payment totals for state vendors and listings and compensation for all state officers and board and commission members as part of the latest enhancements to her office's transparency website, The Ledger. .. READ THE STORY: http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/06/27/comptroller-updates-state-transparency-website/

Results from the ground scan completed by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) on land owned by the Rockford Park District and Northwest Community Center (NWCC) will be released soon, according to an IEPA official... READ THE STORY: http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/06/27/iepa-to-release-ground-scan-results-around-amerock-plant/

Winnebago County – During this extreme heat wave please conserve electricity by turning off lights, televisions, computers, and electrical devices that are not in use, particularly during daytime hours. It is at these time electrical demand is the greatest. Turning your lights off, will help other keep the lights on.

Sunday, June 24, a large section of the Kishwaukee River in Boone and Winnebago counties turned an odd shade of red, complete with a scummy foam of the same color. The incident was reported to  The Rock River Times  by Sam Stanfa, a Rockford-area kayaker, who was out to the Kishwaukee River the morning of Sunday, June 24. .. READ THE STORY: http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/06/27/kishwaukee-river-turned-red-foamy/

As debates rage regarding the location and expansion of landfills, the magnitude and diversity of waste generation is directly tied to the economic organization of society. The film  The Light Bulb Conspiracy , by Cosima Dannoritzer, illustrates the technical capacity to build a light bulb that has exceeded the average lifespan of humans. It has been burning since 1901 in a fire station in Livermore, Calif. .. READ THE STORY: http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/06/06/the-social-and-environmental-consequences-of-planned-obsolescence/

St. Paul Lutheran Church & School on Sunday, July 1, will install its new associate pastor for full-time ministry at its parish of two sites and school. The Rev. Keffie Deen, II , will serve in the areas of youth, young adults, outreach and evangelism, school sports, Bible teaching and general parish ministry. .. READ THE STORY: http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/06/27/st-paul-lutheran-to-install-new-associate-pastor/

Union, what's the big deal, and why should I support and hire union craftsmen in 300 words or less? Unions gave us the weekend and the 40-hour week and protection against working more than seven days in a row without substantial payment and time off for breaks and meals. .. READ THE STORY: http://rockrivertimes.com/2012/06/27/unions- —-what's-the-big-deal/