Volume 143 No. 10
Friday, February 10, 2017
Single Copy Cost 50¢
Cameras OK in area courtrooms
By Lyle Ganther news@tonicanews.com
Cameras will be allowed in courtrooms in the 13th Judicial Circuit that encompasses Bureau, Grundy and LaSalle counties. Chief Judge H. Chris Ryan of the 13th Judicial Circuit indicated recently he has received a letter from Michael Tardy, director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, confirming that the 13th Judi-
cial Circuit’s application for extended media coverage has been approved by the Illinois Supreme Court. “Allowing the 13th Judicial Circuit to participate in the extended media program will further the court’s mandate of transparency and participation in the judicial process by the citizens of the state of Illinois,” said Ryan in a press release. The circuit court policy contains ruled and proce-
dures including provisions as to prohibited court hearings, requests and notices, objections by parties and witnesses, equipment placement and technical specifications. To have cameras in the courtroom, media outlets must apply at least 14 days in advance of the proceedings, although the requirement can be waived if the proceedings is not scheduled at least 14 days in advance. Permission for
cameras in the courtroom will be granted by the judge assigned to the class, but the chief judge of the circuit has discretion to deny all extended media coverage. The rules allow for not more than two television cameras and not more than two still cameras during a judicial proceeding at any time. Witnesses and parities of the case can object to the use of cameras. Extended media coverage is prohib-
ited in any court proceedings required under Illinois law to be held private. No cameras will be permitted in juvenile, dissolutions, adoption, child custody, evidence suppression hearings or trade secret cases. Extended media coverage of jury selection, the jury and individual jurors is also prohibited under the policy. The implementation of extended media coverage in the 13th Judicial Circuit
will begin on a date to be announced. The Illinois Supreme Court allowed judicial circuits to allow cameras in courtrooms on a trial basis in 2012. On Feb. 22, 2016, the state’s highest court discontinued the pilot program and adopted the program as permanent to allow news media cameras in trial courtrooms. Cameras are currently allowed in 17 of the state’s 24 judicial circuits.
Illinois: Steepest population decline in the nation CHICAGO – The U.S. Census released recently new data on national population trends and reported during the last year, Illinois suffered the greatest population loss in the nation. From July 2015 to July 2016, Illinois lost 114,144 residents to other states, on net. This massive exodus to other states caused Illinois’ overall population to decline by 37,508 people, the U.S. Census reported. “Picture the entire city of Peoria packing up and moving across state lines – that’s how severe Illinois’ out-migration was over the last year,” said Michael Lucci, vice president of policy at the Illinois Policy Institute. “People are leaving Illinois at record rates. They’re tired of watching the state’s pension debt climb as lawmakers ignore the problem. They’re tired of an expensive workers’ compensation system and a dangerously ill economic climate. It’s time for lawmakers to make massive reforms and send a strong signal that the direction of Illinois is changing.” Illinois is the only Midwestern state that experi-
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Making a clean sweep St. Bede’s AP physics class attempting to make a slam dunk By Goldie Rapp news@tonicanews.com
Tonica News photo/Dave Cook
Freedom unfurled The office of Illinois State Sen. Sue Rezin recently donated two new flags for Tonica’s Civil War monument. Arthur Foltynewicz proudly hoisted the Stars and Stripes up the pole saying “The old flags were in pretty rough shape and this is great for Tonica because we don’t want to appear to have let our Civil War veterans be forgotten.” Vol. 143 No. 10 One Section - 8 Pages
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PERU — The AP physics class at St. Bede Academy (SBA) has modeled an air-powered basketball launcher, which allows students to see first hand how basic principals, such as impulse-momentum theorem, projectile motion and kinematics play out in real life. While the device has yet to make a slam dunk, it is able to shoot a basketball across the gymnasium — and pretty close to the basket. Students are still experimenting, working out the kinks and referring back
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to their formulas. But they are determined to narrow in on the right solution. Carter Funfsinn, a senior at SBA, built the model using scrap wood, an air pressure tank and some tubing and fabrication. He said the most expensive piece of the model was actually the basketball, which cost $20. AP physics teacher Rick Fess compared the model to a giant potato gun, only much safer because it doesn’t require fuel for the explosion. The device works like so: About a gallon of air
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