Serving the Forreston area since 1865
FORRESTON Journal January 15, 2015 Volume 152, Number 38 - $1.00
Wrestling Tourney
Getting Fit
Tickling the Ivories
The Oregon and Polo wrestling teams compete Jan. 10 at Polo Invite. B1
Find out how to get healthy and fit and stay that way. A8, A9
Dueling Pianos will perform Feb. 7 at the Byron Forest Preserve. A6
Lawmakers can help nuke plant Report suggests nuclear power does not release greenhouse gas By Vinde Wells Editor A report released by several state agencies last week said Illinois lawmakers can prevent Exelon Corporation from closing nuclear plants by adopting policies that penalize competitors that emit carbon dioxide, including coal-fired power plants, according to the Associated Press. After Exelon officials said early last year that they might close at least three of its Illinois nuclear plants, including the Byron Generating Station, the Illinois House adopted a resolution in May that asked four state agencies to study the impact and what could be done. Sponsors of House Resolution 1146 included Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) and Brian Stewart (R-Freeport). The 269-page report prepared by the Illinois Commerce Commission, the Illinois Power Agency, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity was released Jan. 7. The report suggests the state could favor Exelon because its nuclear plants generate electricity without emitting greenhouse gases, according to the Associated Press article. The report said that closing the Byron plant would result in the loss of the jobs of the 880 workers employed
there, plus another 1,776 jobs across the state due to “the indirect impacts of lost employee spending in the local economy as well as purchases the plant makes within the state.” Exelon identified its Illinois nuclear plants at Byron, Clinton, and the Quad Cities as unprofitable and atrisk for closing. Its other three plants, Braidwood, considered Byron’s “twin,” LaSalle County, and Dresden were not on the at-risk list. The Byron plant, on North German Church Road five miles south of Byron, has traditionally received high marks for efficiency and safety during inspections by federal and state regulatory agencies. Byron Station’s Communications Manager Paul Dempsey said the “unprofitable” designation is because of where it is and other market factors. “A lot of it has to do with location,” he said. “We run a very efficient plant and a safe one, as do the others.” Only two of Byron’s four transmission lines take electricity to the Chicago area where prices are higher, Dempsey said. By contrast, he said, all of Braidwood’s lines go to Chicago, as do Dresden’s and LaSalle County’s. The Braidwood plant is a mirror image of Byron, and its two reactors went online in 1988, just a year after Byron’s Unit 2. Byron Unit 1 began generating electricity in 1985. Another factor is that oil tracking operations have brought down natural gas prices, creating stiffer competition as another energy source, Dempsey said. Turn to A2
Exelon appeals the value of Byron plant By Vinde Wells Editor For the third consecutive year, Exelon Corporation officials have appealed the assessment for the Byron Generating Station. The Ogle County Board of Review (BOR) was scheduled to hear the appeal Jan. 14. In the appeal, company officials have set the plant’s value at $212.6 million, less than half of the $509 million set by Ogle County Supervisor of Assessments Jim Harrison. The appeal is for the generating station’s 2014 assessment, which affects taxes payable in 2015. Exelon also appealed its 2012 and 2013 assessments. The BOR upheld both the 2012 assessment of $499 million and the 2013
assessment of $509 million. Exelon has appeals for both those years pending before the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board. Exelon paid more than $34 million in real estate taxes last year to 11 taxing bodies, which include Ogle County, Rockvale Township, Byron School District, Oregon School District, Oregon Park District, Byron Fire District, Rock Valley College, Byron Public Library District, Byron Museum District, Byron Forest Preserve District, and Kishwaukee Community College. The Byron School District received the largest share of that money — more than $19 million. The value of the Byron Generating Station has frequently been disputed throughout the 30-year history of the facility.
In This Week’s Edition...
Alumni Games Above, Forreston alumni Maggie Curry brings the ball up court Saturday afternoon during an alumni basketball game. Below, Forreston alumni Holly Kortemeier goes up for a shot during the alumni game Photos by Chris Johnson
Rauner visited Byron restaurant By Jermaine Pigee Sauk Valley Media
Winnetka who will assume his first public office when he is sworn in on Monday. Days before he was set to Rauner also told reporters “I’m ready to go to work for you and take office, Republican Gov.- he was disappointed we are here to say thank you.” — elect Bruce Rauner paid a with the Legislature’s Bruce Rauner visit to Byron Jan. 9 to show some gratitude to the people Turn to A6 who put him in office. “I’m ready to go to work for you and we are here to say thank you,” Rauner said as he stood alongside Lt. Governorelect Evelyn Sanguinetti. “We are here because we want this to be the greatest state and the greatest nation on earth. We want Illinois to be the most passionate and most competitive state in America.” Rauner spent about 30 minutes Friday morning at the Swedish Pancake House in Byron as part of his 2-day Ready to Work Tour. In addition to Byron, Rauner was also scheduled to visit Chillicothe, Casey, Grayville, Benton, Maryville, Quincy, Moline, and Moweaqua. Rauner didn’t plan to stop in any of the state’s major media markets, including After making a few remarks, Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner works his way around the Chicago and Springfield. Rauner ousted Democratic Swedish Pancake House in Byron meeting and greeting people Friday morning. Gov. Pat Quinn in the Rauner spent about 30 minutes at the restaurant as part of his 2-day Ready to Work November election. Rauner Tour. Rauner, a Republican from Winnetka, was sworn in as governor Jan. 12 in is a venture capitalist from Springfield. Photo by Alex Paschal
Business Briefs, A9 Church News, A5 Classifieds, B7-B12 Entertainment, A6
Fines, B3 Marriage Licenses, A4 Public Voice, A7 Property Transfers, B6
Sheriff’s Arrests, B6 Social News, A4 Sports, B1, B2 State’s Attorney, B6
Deaths, B5 Donald E. Asp, C. Lowell Edwards, Elizabeth Frantz, Bernice M. Hitchcock, Wilda E. Lundin, Karl L. Myers
Published every Thursday by Ogle County Newspapers, a division of Shaw Media • www.oglecountynews.com