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Single Copy Cost 50¢ Volume 148 No. 51
“PRSRT STD.” US Postage Paid No. 486 SHAW MEDIA POSTAL PATRON LOCAL R.R. BOXHOLDER CARRIER ROUTE PRESORT
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Summer road work progressing Putnam County Board also receives bids on courthouse improvements By Dave Cook
news@putnamcountyrecord.com
HENNEPIN — Putnam County Highway Department engineer Pat Sloan reported during the Putnam County Board meeting on Aug. 8 the county roads scheduled for seal-coating have been finished, and the striping is scheduled to be done soon. Sloan also announced he’ll be attending a meeting with IDOT
concerning the work on the Bottom Road Bridge project. Putnam County has been awarded grant money for the upcoming project. He also spoke of the need to appropriate more funds for the Magnolia culvert work that’s a joint project with LaSalle County. Sloan and the board then discussed Timberline Drive, the 30-year-old road badly in need of repair. Sloan said the
road wasn’t in the Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) system and that while Granville Township had filled the potholes, they were hesitant to take on the approximately $30,000 cost of resurfacing the quarter-mile long road without funding assistance. Sloan proposed three options — to leave it the way it is, for Granville Township to keep filling the potholes, or for the county to take over repairs with
highway funds. Board Chairman Duane Calbow didn’t feel leaving it as it is was a viable option. Board member Sheila Haage then proposed the county and Granville Township work together to repair the road. Calbow said that would be satisfactory as long as there’s a guarantee the township would then take responsibility for future work. Sloan said that would likely be an acceptable solution, and
once the township takes official responsibility, they would begin to receive MFT funds helping to finance future work. Also at the meeting, Putnam County Sheriff Kevin Doyle reported the department’s vehicles have had the new cameras installed, and there are now not only dash cams, but backseat cameras as well.
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GMOs: The labeling law
New law will help consumers, farmers By Goldie Rapp
news@putnamcountyrecord.com
main breed of mosquito carrying the virus, Aedes aegypti, is rarely found in Illinois. Taking simple precautions can help you avoid mosquito bites and also help to prevent the spread of the virus. The main precautions include practicing the three R’s — reduce, repel and report.
PRINCETON — President Barack Obama recently signed into law a bill that will require labeling of genetically-modified (GMO) ingredients. It’s been a long battle fought between both the pro-GMO and anti-GMO positions leading up to the passage of this new law. Now that the ink has dried, many are saying neither sides are 100 percent agreeable to the bill. While some points in the new law are still unclear, the one requirement that’s for sure is food packages will have to include either a QR code, a symbol, 800 number or plain text if the ingredients contain GMOs. Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) President Richard Guebert Jr. made a statement on behalf of the IFB saying it was pleased with the labeling bill, which would prevent a rise in food prices. “In addition to protecting Americans’ wallets from a jump in prices at the grocery store, this bill will help prevent an expensive patchwork of state-by-state mandatory GMO food labeling laws,” he said.
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Back in the day ... Guests of the Putnam County Historical Society’s Ag Museum Open House on Sunday, Aug. 14, enjoyed lunch, a tractor parade, a documentary on the National Barn Dance and a chance to explore the museum to see what life was like not only in the fields of the past, but also within the homes, stores, post offices, schools and local countryside. See more photos on Page 2. PCR photo/Dave Cook
LaSalle County bird tests positive for West Nile By Dave Cook
news@putnamcountyrecord.com
OTTAWA — The LaSalle County Health Department has recently learned a crow collected in Peru on Aug. 11 has tested positive for the West Nile Virus. This is the first case of the virus to be documented in LaSalle County this year. West Nile is transmitted Vol. 148 No. 51 One Section - 16 Pages
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through the bite of the common house mosquito, Culex pipiens. The mosquitoes acquire the virus by feeding on infected birds. “Common symptoms include fever, nausea, headache and muscle aches, and they may last from a few days to a few weeks,” LaSalle County Director of Environmental Health Chris Pozzi said.
It’s known 80 percent of people infected with the virus will not show any symptoms. However, severe illness, including meningitis, encephalitis or even death can occur in rare cases. People older than 50 or those with compromised immune systems are at higher risk of severe illness from the virus. Zika virus is also transmitted mostly by mosquitoes, but the
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