Volume 141 No. 31
Friday, July 10, 2015
Single Copy Cost 50¢
Appraiser reprimanded in local lawsuit Appraiser Mark Pomykacz fined $10,000 By Shannon Serpette news@tonicanews.com
New Jersey real estate appraiser Mark Pomykacz was recently reprimanded
and fined by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for an appraisal he prepared of the Marquis Energy ethanol production plant in Hennepin. That
appraisal, paid for by Illinois Valley Community College, was heatedly disputed by Marquis Energy CEO Mark Marquis during a lawsuit which was filed in April 2011 by IVCC against Putnam County, Putnam County Clerk Dan Kuhn, Putnam County Treasurer Kevin Kunkel and Marquis Energy LLC.
The lawsuit, which cost Putnam County more than $250,000 and IVCC in the neighborhood of $700,000, was officially over on April 16, after an agreed dismissal was approved in court, allowing IVCC to voluntarily dismiss its own lawsuit. “In the lawsuit, IVCC asserted the Marquis
Energy LLC ethanol plant wrongfully received a real estate tax abatement and requested reimbursement of the tax dollars that were allegedly lost. The abatement was based on a resolution adopted by IVCC to participate in the Bureau Putnam County Enterprise Zone. Putnam County, county clerk Dan Kuhn
and county treasurer Kevin Kunkel have maintained throughout the proceedings the abatement was proper,” a press release issued by the Putnam County State’s Attorney’s Office on May 15 stated. Pomykacz was reprimanded and fined $10,000
Appraiser Page 3
Supreme Court OKs same-sex marriage By Terri Simon
tsimon@tonicanews.com
On Friday, June 26, the U.S. Supreme Court declared same-sex couples have the right to marry anywhere in the United States. The decision came after decades of issues and litigation over gay marriage and gay rights. At the time of the historic decision, gay and lesbian couples were already allowed to marry in 36 states, plus the District of Columbia. The Supreme Court’s ruling on June 26 causes the remaining 14 states — Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, most of Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee and Texas — to stop their bans on samesex marriages. After the announcement was handed down from the Supreme Court, President Barack Obama immediately tweeted the following: “Today is a big step in our march toward equality. Gay and lesbian couples now have the right to marry, just like anyone else. #LoveWins.” Later at the White House, Obama applauded the decision and called it
Equality Page 2
Driving safety takes a turn
With the summer heat comes new vehicle concerns By Zita Henneberry news@tonicanews.com
While driving safely is always important, especially with children out and about during the summer months, vehicle safety takes a slight turn in the summer heat. “Heatstroke can occur when a child is left unattended in a parked vehicle. Never leave children alone in the car — not even for a few minutes or with the engine running,” said the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (NHSTA) in their 2015 summer driving safety Vol. 141 No. 21 One Section - 8 Pages
© The Tonica News
tips. The NHSTA found temperatures inside the vehicle escalate very quickly. An area police chief said humidity and rising temperatures can create head inside a vehicle that quickly rises to 90 to 100 degrees or hotter. According to the NHSTA, this can happen even with a window rolled down. The agency said heatstroke inside the vehicle is particularly dangerous, because a child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult’s body.
Safety Page 2
Tonica News photo/Dave Cook
A cool drink of water George Olesen of Tonica takes a refreshing drink from the hose while playing in his backyard as his brother, Soren, waits for his turn.