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Thursday, October 16, 2014
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Why have gas prices gone down?
of year business begins to slow down as companies prepare for the seasonal change. In September many refineries began their yearly transition to producing a winter-blend of gasoline. By Goldie Currie This blend is cheaper to gcurrie@bcrnews.com. make because it does not need to meet emissions PRINCETON — Drivers requirements that are in all over the nation have place in many areas to watched the average cost prevent pollution when of gasoline drop through- temperatures are warmer, out the last couple months. according to AAA. Becker said According to usually busia press release Find out nesses will drop issued by AAA earlier this week, the national the prices in order to get rid the price for regaverages. of the summer ular unleaded gasoline has fall- See Page 4. blend. As far as a preen for 18 straight diction for how days. AAA has cited low long drivers will continue demand combined with to see these lower prices, the abundant supply both Becker said it’s anybody’s contributing to the down- guess. “If you read the experts, ward pressure on global oil three of them say prices prices. Daryl Becker, chairman are going to continue to go and CEO of Beck Oil Co. down, and the other three in Princeton, cited the are saying prices will go same reasons and said usually around this time Gas Prices Page 4
BCR photos/Ken Schroeder
Juggler Jason Kollum performed at the Children’s Library at the Richard A. Mautino Memorial Library in Spring Valley on Tuesday evening. Kollum brought his unique blend of whimsy and juggling to a packed house. Kollum told the audience he received no training to become a juggler but learned his trade from reading books from his local library.
Those buildings are coming down Demolition to begin on St. Paul Street building By Goldie Currie gcurrie@bcrnews.com
SPRING VALLEY — Demolition activity in downtown Spring Valley is nearing. Soon the lots at 124, 200 and 202 E. St. Paul St. will be empty. At Monday night’s city council meeting, Spring Valley City Engineer Larry Good reported the asbestos abatement portion of the project was expected to begin Wednesday, if the weather cooperated. Once asbestos is cleared from the buildings, demolition will start at the 200 and 202 E. St. Paul St. locations. Good estimated it would take about three weeks to tear down the Year 168 No. 124 Two Sections - 32 Pages
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structure. Once it’s completed, workers will move on to demolish the building at 124 E. St. Paul St. As previously reported, the city council approved a bid price of $132,500 to tear down the buildings. American Demolition of Elgin was hired for the job. The cost of demolition will be covered by monies in the city’s TIF fund. Grant monies finally being released It’s nearing a year since Gov. Pat Quinn flew into the Illinois Valley to announce Spring Valley was the recipient of a $9.5 million grant to help build a new wastewater treatment plant, after flooding
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Rethinking a county administrator Board rescinds previous motion By Donna Barker dbarker@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON — The Bureau County Board is adjusting its search for a county administrator. At Tuesday’s meeting, the board voted unan-
imously to rescind a motion made in September to spend up to $20,000 to hire a consultant to lead in the county administrator search. Instead, the county board approved a motion Tuesday evening to direct Bureau County Board Chairman Dale Anderson to appoint an ad hoc committee to explore the feasibility of hiring a county administrator or county facilitator. The ad hoc committee will report back to the full board.
In bringing the county administrator topic back to the board at Tuesday’s meeting, Fees and Finance Committee member Steve Sondgeroth reported he and Anderson had recently met with Henry County Administrator Colleen Gillespie, at her request, to further discuss Bureau County’s administrator position. Gillespie had spoken to the full board in September to discuss her duties as a county admin-
istrator, and after listening to the board’s discussion and questions, had later contacted Anderson about meeting with her and Tim Wells, chairman of the Henry County Board, Sondgeroth said. In highlighting the conversation with Gillespie, Sondgeroth said Gillespie thought the county’s salary range of $85,000 to $100,000, as previously recommended to the
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