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County appoints new rep
GROUPS DIVIDED OVER GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD COMPONENTS
Koehler chosen to take seat on Metra Board ed without comment – members Michele Aavang, R-Woodstock; WOODSTOCK – A Donna Kurtz, R-Crystal driving force in coun- Lake; Michael Walkup, ty politics who helped R-Crystal Lake; and s h a p e t h e M c H e n r y Diane Evertsen, R-HarCounty Board for almost vard, voted “no.” Koea decade as its chairman hler abstained, as did is stepping down to rep- board member Mike resent the county on the Skala, R-Huntley, whose company does business Metra Board. County Board mem- with Metra. Koehler’s leadership bers voted, 17-4, Tuesday to appoint Ken Koehler, during his time as chairR-Crystal Lake, to be the man, despite occasional stumbles, was county’s voice on seen as firm by the board for the supporters and suburban comopponents alike. muter rail. KoeAmong the achler’s resignation complishments from the County under Koehler’s Board takes effect watch as chairFriday, because Ken Koehler man included the state law forbids county’s attainMetra Board appointees from holding ing of an Aaa bond rating, developing the 2030 an elected office. Voters first elected Land Use Plan, changing Koehler to the County the leadership of Valley Board in 2000, and his Hi Nursing home to a fellow board members public operating board, in 2004 elected him to and creating a funded the first of four two-year road construction proterms as its chairman gram that turned many after former Chairman longtime county project Mike Tryon was elect- wishes into reality. He ed to the Illinois House. also put a top priority on Koehler replaces anoth- close working relationer former County Board ships with the county’s member, Marc Munaret- federal and state lawto, who resigned from makers, and oversaw the Metra Board barely the implementation of a year into the appoint- a mapping and moniment, citing work con- toring program to help preserve the county’s flicts. Koehler, after the groundwater supply. His four terms, vote, told his fellow board members that h o w e v e r , p r o m p t e d leaving them was the louder calls for the hardest part about tak- chairmanship to be poping the job. He was one ularly elected by the of 12 applicants for the voters rather than the appointment. Koehler, County Board. It agreed after the vote, pledged to put a referendum on to work hard to advance the ballot to that effect, the county’s commuter and voters in 2014 approved it – the 2016 elecrail interests. “This is going to be a tion will be the first in real opportunity, I think, which voters elect the to really work hard for chairman. Improving the counMcHenry County at that level, and I didn’t think ty’s Metra service long we’ve really seen that, has been a top priority at least the way it’s gone for County Board memfor the last few months,” bers and the county’s Koehler said. See METRA, page A4 Board members vot-
By KEVIN P. CRAVER
kcraver@shawmedia.com
xxx@shawmedia.com
FOOD LABEL DEBATE
Matthew Apgar mapgar@shawmedia.com
Area farmers, advocates watching proposed GMO legislation By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com
Local farmers are split over a proposed federal law that would pre-empt states from passing their own more stringent food labeling laws for genetically modified organisms. The local divide over the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act falls along similar lines as they do elsewhere. Larger farm operations and the food industry support the legislation as a way to prevent roadblocks to getting their products to market, especially a 50-state patchwork quilt of labeling laws. Smaller agriculture operations and watchdog groups, on the other hand, call the proposed restriction a denial of the public’s right to know what is in their food. Under the law, which passed the U.S. House in July and is now in the Senate, states no longer will be able to pass laws that would require food with GMO components to be explicitly labeled as such. Three states – Vermont, Maine and Connecticut – have already done so to varying degrees, and lawmakers in 17 others, including Illinois, have filed similar bills, according to the Center for Food Safety, an advocacy group that supports sustainable and natural food-production techniques. Opponents of the proposed labeling law derisively call it the DARK Act, short for “Deny Americans the Right to Know.” The McHenry County Farm Bureau supports the proposed federal law on the grounds that numerous differing labeling laws would be a barrier to commerce, Manager Dan Volkers said. And despite the proliferation of rooftops and parking lots over
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The consumer wants to know. If it’s consumer-driven, and enough people want to know if [their food] is raised using GMO seeds, I don’t see why they shouldn’t know.” Keith Johnson, Manager of Woodstock Farmers Market on the Square
the past several decades, agriculture is a $150-million-a-year business in the county. “If I’m trying to expand a business, the last thing I want to run into is different regulatory bodies to deal with in each state,” Volkers said. But other consumers see it differently. Genetically modified food components are forefront in the minds of many of the shoppers who visit the twice-weekly Woodstock Farmers Market on the Square, Manager Keith Johnson said. Johnson said he estimates that more than half of the market’s customers prioritize avoiding foods with GMO components. “The consumer wants to know,” Johnson said. “If it’s consumer-driven, and enough people want to know if [their food] is raised using GMO seeds, I don’t see why they
shouldn’t know.” Supporters of using GMO crops point out that they have been grown, and consumed, for decades – the vast majority of corn and soybeans grown in the U.S. are genetically engineered. Opponents challenge that assurance, most recently pointing to an August ruling by a research arm of the World Health Organization that glyphosate, a herbicide frequently used on GMO crops, is a probable carcinogen. Critics allege that GMO crops’ resistance to herbicides results in their overuse because the crops can better tolerate it. The proposed labeling law, filed by U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kansas, passed the House on a 275-150 vote, with both local Reps. Peter Roskam, R-Wheaton, and Randy Hultgren, R-Winfield, voting yes. But the issue does not fall neatly into liberal vs. conservative lines – Republicans were joined by 45 House Democrats in support of the bill, including several from Illinois. While Vermont’s Democratic-dominated legislature passed a GMO labeling law, so did neighboring Maine, which has a Republican governor and Senate. “Typically on [agriculture] issues, I would say in general we see both sides, Republican and Democrat, just trying to come around to the best thing for ag, in the U.S. in general and for the consumer,” Volkers said. “I don’t see near the partisanship you see on more of the more challenging issues.” As both a farmer and a consumer, Farm Bureau President Michele Aavang opposes state-specific labels for the same reasons
See GMO, page A2
Funeral arrangements set for Deputy Dwight Maness By ALLISON GOODRICH agoodrich@shawmedia.com WOODSTOCK – Those wanting to pay respects to McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy Dwight Maness, who died Monday, can do so Saturday during a public walk-through and funeral. In conjunction with Maness’ family, the sheriff’s office on Wednesday announced a police
funeral will take place for the fallen officer at Woodstock North High School, 3000 Raffel Road, Woodstock. The public will be allowed to walk through from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with a walk-through for law enforcement and public servants set for 1 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office. A funeral service and procession will follow.
“This will provide an opportunity for the community at large, as well as law enforcement, to pay a fitting tribute to our fallen hero,” McHenry County Sheriff Bill Prim said. More information regarding parking, shuttles, maps, procession route and other arrangements will be forthcoming and posted on the sheriff’s office website, www.mchenrysheriff.org,
as well as the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page. Maness, of McHenry, died Monday from blood clots in his lungs, according to a ruling from McHenry County Coroner Anne Majewski. His death came about 11 months after he was shot in the line of duty after responding to a well-being check at a Holiday Hills home.
The sheriff’s office has since requested that the McHenry County Major Investigation Assistance Team conduct an investigation into Maness’ death. McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi has said if the coroner determines that his death was a result of the injuries he suffered in the Oct. 16 shooting, the man who shot him could face murder charges.
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Deputy Dwight Maness