Volume 141 No. 13
Friday, March 6, 2015
Single Copy Cost 50¢
Would a regional 911 work? Bernabei: ‘How do we do that and be cost-effective?’ By Ken Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
OGLESBY — A regional dispatch center is in the planning stages for the tri-city area, but organizers are hoping the scope of the project will be far wider than that before it’s finished. A 12-member panel from LaSalle, Oglesby and Peru are inviting
other communities to join into a project that will provide Enhanced 911 services throughout the area, while relieving the financial burden as much as possible. Peru Police Chief Doug Bernabei, chairman of the Illinois Valley Regional Dispatch Center Planning Board, said a $1.5 million grant has been acquired for the center. A potential site for the center has been
chosen. “We’re working with the Dispatch Center Planning Board on placing the center on the IVCC campus grounds where the old barn stands south of the campus,” Illinois Valley Community College President Jerry Corcoran said. “It’s an excellent opportunity for us to work with the local communities and provide a new learning environment for students.” Current plans will allow IVCC students in forensics, law enforcement and related fields to intern with the
regional dispatch center. Bernabei explained why the center is necessary for the region. “The city of LaSalle, the city of Peru and the city of Oglesby each have their own independent 911 boards, or emergency telephone system boards (ETSB). LaSalle County is unique in that it has nine separate ETSBs in the county,” Bernabei said. “There’s a new dynamic coming down the pike. It’s already arrived in certain areas of
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Tonica News photo/Ken Schroeder
Peru Police Chief Doug Bernabei outlines the mechanics of a regional emergency dispatch center which has the potential to serve the entire Illinois Valley area. Local Rep. Frank Mautino has secured a $1.5 million grant to try to make the center a reality for the Illinois Valley Regional Dispatch Center Planning Board.
What happened to the minimum wage hike? Here we go again ... By Ken Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
Just more than a year ago, the topic of the day was an increase in the Illinois minimum wage. On Feb. 5, 2014, HB 4733 was introduced to the Illinois House of Representatives. It would raise the state’s minimum wage throughout the course of the next five years to $11 an hour from the current $8.25 an hour. The measure appeared in a non-binding vote on the November 2014 ballot where Illinois voters were in favor of the proposal at a 2-1 ratio. Yet, a year after the introduction of the bill, it has yet to be passed, and is essentially back at Square 1. According to the status page at the Illinois General Assembly website for HB 4733, the minimum wage hike was approved by the House of Representatives on April 1 by an 89 to 24 vote. From there, it went to the Senate on April 2 for its first reading — a bill is read in each house three times before it is passed or dropped — then went to the assignments committee. The bill was passed between the assignments and the executive committees for the next two months a total of six times before disappearing. The bill resurfaced once on July 1 before disappearing Vol. 141 No. 13 One Section - 8 Pages
© The Tonica News
again until Nov. 18, when it was passed to the Committee on State Government and Veterans Affairs. The bill received its second reading on Nov. 19, more than seven months after it was introduced to the Senate. Two weeks and a few amendments later, HB 4733 was passed by the Senate on Dec. 4, 2014, with a vote of 39 to 18. However, just because both houses passed it does not make the bill a law. By Illinois law, the bill goes back to its originating body — in this case, the House of Representatives — for a chance to review the amendments tacked on by the other voting body. If the House doesn’t like the amendments, changes are made, and it goes back to the Senate and so on and so forth until both houses agree, and it goes to the governor. But the bill never went any further. Shortly after the bill was reintroduced to the House, House Speaker Michael Madigan banged the gavel and the 98th Illinois General Assembly called it a day and went home. Madigan declined to bring the legislators back to hear the bill despite thenGov. Pat Quinn’s requests; the subject now passes to Gov. Bruce Rauner and the 99th General Assembly. For the matter to be discussed, it will now have to introduced as a new bill. That means all the committee sessions and voting from last year are null and void; it’s a brand new bill.
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Tonica News photo/Ken Schroeder
Hopping for healthy hearts Erin Gray keeps the count going while Camryn Risley (left) and Alexis Harms spin the rope during the Tonica Grade School Jump Rope for Heart event on Friday, Feb. 27. Physical education teacher and coordinator Carrie Christman said last year, the school collected slightly more than $2,000. The goal this year is $2,100.
Making changes at TGS By Ken Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
TONICA — A night of changes greeted the Tonica Grade School Board at its Tuesday, Feb. 24 meeting. A change in Internet provider and a flurry of resignations filled the bill. The board made the decision to drop services
from the iFiber service for a lower bid from Tonica Telephone Co. iFiber, which was months late coming on line, has not been able to deliver on promises, according to Tonica Grade School Superintendent John Suarez. “It’s been disappointing to say the least,” Suarez said. “One of the key-
stones to the service they offered was the ability to collaborate with other schools, but that never came to fruition. Not once.” Suarez said the switch to Tonica Telephone would give the school the same services it’s currently receiving at a 35 to 40 percent savings. “If iFiber had been able
to deliver on its promise, we might have stayed, but it just didn’t happen,” Suarez said. The board also accepted the resignations of five staff and faculty members. Staff members bus driver Michelle Johnson, track coach J. Rimes, cafeteria worker Carrie
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