Welcome to CHBlog
http://chblog.ozarkattitude.com
CHBlog: Featured Comments
Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)

  • December 27, 2007 jim verduin wrote:
    Excellent article as usual. My what a sad history of how our leaders have done business over the years. I agree that Blago has the final say on this, but doubt he will choose or even act. Heck, he is probably the next one to start spending time in court defending himself,so the decision could very well be made by yet another governor? I think 2008 will start off with a whole lot of project push, tough talk, threats, promises,projections,but by the end of 2008 I predict it will all be smoke and mirrors and nothing will be done. Fasten your seat belts you Eastern Will County residents and prepare for another roller coaster ride courtesy of IDOT
    Reply to this
  • December 18, 2007 Lee for Congress wrote:
    For Immediate Release December 17, 2008
    Contact: Cary Black, (815) 585-4706

    U.S. Congressional Candidate Jimmy Lee’s Response to Repeal of the Weller Amendment

    NORTH UTICA, IL—Eleventh District Congressional candidate Jimmy Lee announces support for Will County residents by denouncing the repeal of the Weller Amendment.

    In his press statement released after the repeal of the Weller Amendment, Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. heralded the work of the Abraham Lincoln National Airport Commission (ALNAC) and pronounced that the only viable plan for a third suburban airport would be through a public-private partnership. As an attempt to demonstrate the utility of the ALNAC plan, Jackson concluded that implementation of the ALNAC plan would result in millions of dollars in private investment and in the creation of 15,000 jobs.

    In response, U.S. Congressional Candidate Jimmy Lee stated, “Congressman Jackson is quick to point to all the supposed benefits of the airport under the ALNAC plan, but he fails to even address the effect that this will have on all the families who live next to the airport. Jackson’s repeal of the Weller Amendment essentially stripped the neighbors in Will County from the right to help make decisions about the overall implementation of the airport. The residents of Will County need the opportunity to provide input regarding flight patterns, noise pollution, and other outcomes that accompany the building of an airport. If someone is going to build a new landing strip in your backyard, it’s only logical to assume that you should have some say in the planning process.”

    Lee continued, “The ALNAC plan is inefficient and will not work. Our only option to keep the current situation from moving from bad to worse is for us to act now and to urge the Governor to select the Illinois Department Of Transportation (IDOT) Airport Layout Plan. If logic is to override self-interest, then the only option is for the Governor to submit the IDOT Plan to the Federal Aviation Administration.

    “This latest action by Congressman Jackson is just another move in a familiar series of power plays by the Congressman. Honestly, it’s not surprising and simply highlights the dysfunction which exists among many leaders currently involved in our political system,” Lee concluded.

    ###
    Reply to this
  • December 4, 2007 John wrote:
    This excellent story capturing the history of MidAmerica Airport is solid evidence why the twenty-four thousand acre airport (3 1/2 tmes the size of O'Hare Airport) proposed for Peotone is a huge mistake and should be opposed without qualification because it is the mirror issue. O'Hare is already expanding just as Lambert did after MidAmerica was built. Equally severe environmental degradation will occur in eastern Will County and Kanakkee County as occurred in St Clair County. There is no market for an airport at Peotone just as there has never been a market in Mascoutah. The FAA has already determined as much in arriving at its decision to approve O'Hare modernization and expansion. All major airlines have repeatedly said they will not locate at a Peotone site, and the FAA has no authority to require that they do so. So far, and seven years late, the planners and promoters of MidAmerica have achieved exactly 0.01% of what they declared they would achieve in selling this project to the public with taxpayers now picking up the unanticipated(?) cost of maintaining it. No reasonable person or govermnent agency would want to repeat that history at Peotone.

    John - Niles, Il
    Reply to this
  • November 8, 2007 Walt McElligott wrote:
    Carol,
    I'm impressed that your story objectively stated the facts of Ryan's fall from grace, which says all we need to know. So many of those directly affected by how he "blatantly violated the public trust and abused Illinois’ highest office"
    (myself included) are too quick to add our opinions about his "arrogance" & "lack of" conscience.

    Thanx for reminding us of the "slim possibility" that Thompson can ask President... Bush to pardon Ryan. Let's hope Thompson is as successful in achieving a pardon as he was in obtaining a "not guilty" verdict.
    God Bless All, Walt McElligott
    Beecher, IL 60401
    Reply to this
  • September 1, 2007 Walt McElligott wrote:
    Dear CH,
    Thanx again for keeping your Blog so current on IL/IN matters. As one who watched increased traffic
    speed thru Beecher on Indiana Ave due to the closing of "the Borman Expressway, (I-80/94)..." it AGAIN became apparent that both states do need an alternative transportation route.

    However, those who watched TV helicopter views of Northwest Indiana for these three days also noted that your "commuters and travelers" were "scrambling" back to Illinois. This would seem to confirm your comment that Indiana support [& need for the Illiana Expressway]... has been lukewarm.

    Such Chicago/South suburban bound traffic appears to further substantiate the belief that support for an Illiana Expressway, "conceptualized for decades, has mostly come from the Illinois side." Yet, i must agree with you that since most pre-2007 flood "letters were worded the same... on different letterheads..." reveals Illinois officials ties
    to the [LONG] proposed [& SUPER-COSTLY] airport [SSA] near Peotone. And, like the proposed roadway, the SSA is also "far from being a done deal."
    God Bless All, Walt McElligott
    Beecher, IL USA, 60401
    Reply to this
  • June 29, 2007 john rademacher wrote:
    What an outstanding article! This revelation destroys the claim by ALNAC promoters that their personal project will not be a tax burden but will be totally privately financed. Now we know "the rest of the story." Next question is, what else aren't they telling us?
    Reply to this
  • May 1, 2007 jim verduin wrote:
    Common sense is something Carol Henrichs has had for a long time, and something those in government could really use. If those reading this article had no knowledge of the history of this project,and formed their opinions solely on the facts, I'm sure they would ask the same questions and form the same opinions listed in Carol's article. What will it take for the public to open their eyes to the facts? Who in government has the courage to admit some serious mistakes have been made in pushing this project forward? Certainly not the current governor of Illinois!Is it likely someone in authority would have the guts to challenge the current projections and request a new study useing the current facts? With over 100 million dollars already spent and no ground even broken, wouldn't that show some common sense has finally surfaced in our leaders?
    Reply to this
  • April 17, 2007 Walt McElligott wrote:
    Dear CH,
    Well done. How right you are! "The only thing Gary needs... to benefit from a 2016 Olympics in Chicago is to... get passengers about 25 miles downtown..." to Chicago's Loop. This is a "doable" task compared to what lies ahead of Paesel and the people who can't even inspect a General Aviation runway in less than 4 months.

    Walt, neighbor to the invisible 39 year old South Suburban Airport.
    Reply to this
  • April 6, 2007 Jim Verduin wrote:
    Great job of telling it like it is. Susan Shea needs to be held accountable for her actions( or lack of)We need to pressure the governor, hammer the media, and expose these idiots for what they really are, "Elected Bullies"
    Reply to this
  • April 5, 2007 Walt McElligott wrote:
    Carol,

    Thanx again for being on top of "IDOT’s... Susan Shea stalling... on Bult Field & incompetence concerning the state’s proposed South Suburban Airport. Its disgusting how one former Blago fund raiser is "holding up" (literally) Jim Bult, to the tune of appx $100,000 a month, "on top of "more than $25 million... put into the field already"?

    But shouldnt your comment read "Plans for the layout of Bult Field have had to be altered to accommodate the inaugural airport"?

    God Bless All, Walt McElligott Beecher, IL USA, 60401
    Reply to this
  • March 19, 2007 Dale Patterson wrote:
    Great article, great news.

    As others have said, it is about time.

    However, "justice" moves slowly and it is important to keep the pressure on or this will be swept under the rug like other issues.

    For now ... victory, even in small doses, is great medicine!
    Reply to this
  • March 19, 2007 Jim Verduin wrote:
    Great article! Great News! Great job by George Ochsenfeld and John Anderson! Great to see Roc and Lee VanGuilder finally come to justice! They have acted like gangsters ever since they came to town working on this project. It's about time the law catches up with them and reminds them they can not run around doing what ever they please. We still have laws in Will County, and they need to abide by them like every one else.
    Reply to this
  • March 19, 2007 Judy Ogalla wrote:
    Execellent story. I'm glad the Will County States Attorney decided to take another look at the situation. A 'big' thank you to John Anderson and the others involved at being persisent in seeing that the property owners in eastern Will County have their rights protected.
    Reply to this
  • February 20, 2007 footprint hostage wrote:
    The State is stalling, and has no right to do this to Mr. Bult. He conformed to everything they told him to do during the permit process, now they refuse to give him final inspection! Well I and my neighbors had the priviledge to personally inspect the work done there this past January, and can tell you he did a marvelous job. This will be a first class general aviation field and an asset to our community. I suggest the State swallow their pride, and just get out there and give him his green pass card. His future construction plans for this spring will continue whether IDOT likes it or not. After all, it's his property and he can do with it as he pleases.Jim Bult has shown more class and common sense through this whole thing than all of IDOT's people put together!
    Reply to this
Copyright 2007. All rights Reserved. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in CHBlog and those of commentors are theirs alone. CHBlog is not responsible for the accuracy of information supplied by the commentors on this blog.
Blog Software
Blog Software