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Thursday, December 26, 2013
Bridge work ahead! By Donna Barker dbarker@bcrnews.com
PRINCETON – Bureau and LaSalle counties will receive $5.8 million for two bridge replacement projects in the new year, with the bulk of the money going for the Bureau County project. Gov. Pat Quinn made the announcement last week, on Dec. 19, saying the $5.8 million for the bridge projects in Bureau and LaSalle counties is part of the $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now! Capital construction program. The projects will be overseen by the Illinois Department of Transportation. “Replacing these key bridges will make transportation safer and more efficient in north central Illinois,” Quinn said. “The projects will also employ a number of construction workers, which will help the local economy.” In Bureau County, the bridges carrying Interstate 80 over the Hennepin Canal, about one mile west of the Route 40 interchange, will be replaced, at a project cost of $5,233,01. The project has been awarded to D Construction, Inc. of Coal City, the lower of two bidders. The project will also involve the construction of crossovers, so traffic can continue to flow during the work, as well as the resurfacing along Interstate 80 in the vicinity of the project, Quinn said.
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New laws on health issues Medical marijuana, tanning beds for teens and more By Donna Barker dbarker@bcrnews.com
Gov. Pat Quinn has signed into law several pieces of legislation geared to impact the health and well-being of Illinois residents in a positive way. Probably the most-publicized healthrelated new law deals with the use of medical marijuana. The new law goes into effect on Jan. 1, but probably won’t be ready for implementation for several more months.
On Aug. 1, Quinn signed the “Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act” into law, making Illinois the 20th state to legalize the use of medical marijuana. The new law covers a list of 33 defined medical conditions, including cancer, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis. On Monday, Perry Memorial Hospital President/CEO Rex Conger said the individual physician would make the decision whether a patient’s treatment should include the use of medical marijuana. How-
ever, smoking medical marijuana on hospital property would not be allowed because there is already a state law prohibiting any smoking on hospital property, which would trump the medical marijuana law, Conger said. Further looking into the new law, Conger said the Illinois Hospital Association has released information on the four-year pilot program. Though smoking is not allowed on any hospital or health care facility under the Smoke Free Illinois Act, hospitals
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BCR photo/Goldie Currie
Battling bitter cold with holiday rush! Grant Blakey of the U.S. Princeton Postal Service loads his mail carrier bright and early on Christmas Eve morning. With the lingering zero-degree temperatures, the carriers bundled up with earmuffs, hats, heavy coats, extra layers and sturdy walking boots with anticipation to make it through the final delivery day before Christmas. While the day tends to be a busy one for mail carriers, Blakey noted he starts to see a decrease in the amount of mail leading up until Christmas.
Looking back on 2013 Compiled by Donna Barker dbarker@bcrnews.com
Editor’s note: This is another segment in a series that looks back on some of the headlines in Bureau County during 2013. March 2: Princeton Christian Academy’s Sophia Brandenburg snags the county’s spelling bee championship
title, making it her second consecutive win in the annual Bureau County Spelling Bee. Brandenburg, an eighthgrader, defeated 22 fellow contestants during four rounds of competition held at the Bureau County Metro Center in Princeton. Runner-up was Conner Whitten, an eighth-grader from Cherry Grade School. March 5: With win-
ter months slowly moving past, it seems so is the flu season. Deb Piper of the Bureau/ Putnam County Health Department says although the number of flu cases is slowing down, it’s still uncertain when the cases will be cleared. The flu season started early this year, mid-November, and has been a more severe season throughout the coun-
try, though considered moderate in Illinois, she said. March 7: An early morning blaze at Habanero’s Mexican Grill and Cantina in Princeton leaves the downtown restaurant in complete shambles. The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the state fire marshal. Princeton Fire Chief Chuck Woolley says a passerby noti-
fied authorities the South Main Street business was on fire. Mutual aid was provided by an estimated 13 neighboring fire departments. March 9: Bureau County Sheriff John Thompson announces he will not seek re-election in November 2014. Thompson, a Democrat from Ladd, is serving his third term in office, having been first elected sheriff
in November 2002 when he defeated incumbent sheriff Bill Rosenow, a Republican from Sheffield. Thompson says he decided not to seek reelection for personal reasons in the sense that he has developed opinions about government and its methodologies which makes it difficult to continue as sheriff.
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For breaking news, sports and current weather conditions, go to bcrnews.com Year 167 No. 155 Two Sections - 32 Pages
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