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Serving Bureau County Since 1847
Saturday, August 17, 2013
No contract yet County slammed with unfair labor practice complaint
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Do you know the new laws? Medical marijuana and more ... By Donna Barker dbarker@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — Illinois residents will need to get up to speed on some new laws, including some traffic-related laws and the legalization of medical marijuana. On Aug. 1, Gov. Pat Quinn signed into law the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act, resulting in Illinois becoming the 21st state in the country
to legalize medical marijuana. “This new law will provide that relief and help eligible patients ease their suffering, while making sure Illinois has the nation’s strictest safeguards to prevent abuse,” Quinn said. The new law enacts strict restrictions on the cultivation centers to ensure professional licensing, 24-hour surveillance and inventory control, Quinn said. There will be 22 cultivation centers, which is one for each State Police
District. Each cultivation center must comply with local zoning laws and be located at least 2,500 feet from day care centers and schools, the governor said. Bureau County Sheriff John Thompson said he does not view the use of medical marijuana as the big problem which some of society may perceive it to be. He thinks medical marijuana can be a good thing to give some people a relief from their suffering. As far as any potential problems for law enforcement, Thompson said there
See New Laws Page 4
B y Donna Barker dbarker@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON – An unfair labor practice complaint has been filed against Bureau County with the Illinois Labor Relations Board by the Police Benevolent Labor Committee (PBLC). As explained at Tuesday night’s meeting of the Bureau County Board, the crux of the complaint is that a contract agreement was apparently reached on or around May 31 with the county, Bureau County Sheriff John Thompson and the Police Benevolent Labor Committee (PBLC) on a new two-year contract, but the sheriff has not yet signed it. Board member Steve Sondgeroth brought up the contract issue, asking why it had not yet been signed. Board Chairman Dale Anderson said a tentative collective bargaining agreement was reached on or around May 31 between the county, the sheriff and the PBLC. When the labor attorney asked if everyone was in agreement, there were no concerns voiced by anyone, as he remembered it, Anderson said. Negotiating team members Bob Albrecht, Mike Maynard and Jeff Mangrich agreed with Anderson, saying they do not remember any concerns being voiced at that meeting.
See Contract Page 4 Year 167 No. 99 One Section - 20 Pages
98213 00012 1 7 © Bureau County Republican
BCR photo/Goldie Currie
Back to school time! The Ohio Community Consolidated School District was back in session on Thursday. Students were greeted with warm smiles and friendly “hellos” from their new teachers as they arrived for their first day back. Misty Davis insisted on taking a quick “first day of school photo” of her three children — first-grader Katie (left), fifth-grader Meghan and junior Bradley as she dropped them off for the day — which was met with mixed reactions from her children.
Residents sue over wind farm By David Giuliani Shaw Media Service
DIXON – The battle over a planned wind farm in southwestern Lee County was long expected to end up in the courts. And so it has. On Wednesday, nearly 60 residents filed a lawsuit against the county and Ireland-based Mainstream Renewable Power. Represented by Rockford attorney Rick Porter, the residents say they own more than 13,000 acres. They are asking the court to stop the
project from beginning and to declare its permits void. In May, the county board voted 12-9 for the controversial 53-turbine wind farm, overruling a zoning board recommendation against the project, known as the Green River Wind Farm. The landowners said they had to file the lawsuit. “Clearly, this action is necessary to save the value of our homes and farms and to protect the environment, in the face of so much evidence at the ZBA hearings that the construction of so many turbine towers in this populated
and fertile farming area will cause very lasting damage,” Sandy Kruse, one of the landowners, said in a statement. The lawsuit said the wind farm is incompatible with surrounding land uses. The project, it said, will decrease property values, destroy views, create shadow flicker and “incessant and annoying” noise, and hurt wildlife. The lawsuit identified what the landowners consider procedural errors leading up to the county’s approval of the special-use permits for the project.
See Lawsuit Page 4
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