New York Times op-ed begs rebuttal

New York Times op-ed begs rebuttal and gets it

Today's buzz is a March 13 New York Times op-ed piece entitled  "Flying Blind in Chicago"  by columnist Bob Herbert. The piece read like a diatribe written by Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. or perhaps, his aide, Rick Bryant, who doubles as the Chairman of Jackson's self-appointed airport authority. The op-ed piece contains all the similar redundant propaganda about the wonders of an airport to serve Chicago in the cornfieldst near Peotone. Herbert claims the airport would be a great project for  federal stimulus funds.

Trouble is, it is the same rhetoric we have been hearing out of Jackson for years about the project outside his congressional district. And, it just isn't true.

The folly of building an airport near Peotone began in 1968, more than 40 years ago. In all that time, this ill-conceived project has lacked the merit to stand on its own without being bolstered by politicians who paid for their props with tax dollars. The project faded away in the 70's, only to be revived in 1985 in the Illinois General Assembly, a place where many great ideas generally go to die. But this one — being a bad idea — has lived on, still using tax dollars to give it legs to stand.

The stimulus money is supposed to be a job-creator for shovel-ready projects. This hardly fills that bill with its imaginary, over-inflated job projections. This project is hardly shovel-ready because its need just isn't proven.

I have learned of at least two responses to this piece and have received permission to print them here.
Mr. Herbert:

I fear you have been blinded by Congressman Jackson's snow job.

You failed to include several items that are quite apparent to those of us who live here.

1. The State of Illinois is buying the land with taxpayer dollars.  The plan is to lease it back to ALNAC under below market rates.  Hence, it is a public subsidy for private investors.  As you may have read, the State of Illinois is nearly bankrupt.

2. No airline has expressed the slightest interest in the project. What if they build an airport and no one comes?

3. There is no surrounding infrastructure to support the area.  One interstate is five miles away with a single off ramp interchanges in each direction that is a nightmare under current circumstances.  All the other roads in the area are either rural of barely two lanes.  There is no commuter rail to the site.  The nearest train station is five miles away.  There is no water except well water.

4. The two firms are foreign firms that would operate under NAFTA rules.  Great concern must be expressed as to whether they will abide by prevailing wage rules or use Union sub-contractors.

5. The congressman is hardly a beatific figure given his deep involvement in the scandal surrounding our recently impeached governor.  A thorough investigation as to who would profit by this project must be demanded.

6. Every willing seller of the land has already sold.  Condemnation proceeding and the physical removal of residents from the homes is the only option left. Less than 25% of the land necessary for "inaugural footprint" i.e., one east-west landing strip, is in the possession of the State of Illinois.

I fear you have relied upon Mr. Jackson's propaganda apparatus rather than a thorough research of the facts.

Sincerely,

Thomas M. Brislane
Beecher, Illinois
The second is from a New York City resident who is originally from Peotone.

 Bob Herbert claims that because the economy is hurting, Illinois should rush an airport project  that is unnecessary and will destroy the very area supporters claim it will help. As a native of Peotone, IL  – the site of the proposed third Chicago airport – I can tell you that the only reason the project didn't die off years ago is because corrupt political interests have fought to keep it alive, despite all evidence against its need.
In a time when "the U.S. is in a world-class recession, hemorrhaging jobs and spending trillions of dollars trying to extricate itself from the mess," I hardly see how an ill-advised project of this magnitude would solve any problems. Travel is declining, airlines are going under, and millions of people are in danger of losing their jobs. Expansion at established regional airports (Rockford  and Gary ) would be much smarter policy for the long-term health of the Chicago metro area.

Amanda Layton-Greep
Park Slope, Brooklyn

Kudos to both for fine letters. Amanda went on to say that if anyone wants to write their own letter in response to this opinion piece, that it should be no more than 150 words, should include your full name, address, and daytime/evening phone numbers (for verification purposes only), reference Bob's column in the subject line, and send it to letters@nytimes.com. She cautions that the paper's policy is that letters must be received within a week of the original piece.

Yet another response was sent to the New York Times. This, from conservative blogger Rick Moran is also well worth the read. He posted it this morning at his blog, The American Thinker.

Obama lends support to High Speed Rail

High speed rail could land in Illinois

    President Barack Obama has lent his support to high speed rail – both through the economic stimulus package and his first budget.

The $787 billion stimulus package set aside $8 billion for high speed rail with another $5 billion in the budget.
This investment into clean, green technology is causing a rise in the excitement level of high speed rail advocates across the country. From New York to California states look to the possibility of finally developing high speed rail.

The President talked about fast trains while on the campaign trail. Spurred by high gas prices and flight delays, last summer Obama spoke of high speed rail service as a viable alternative to the gridlock on the ground and in the air.
He talked about the potential to connect Midwest cities.
According to the Midwest High Speed Rail Association, (MHSRA) the definition of "high speed rail" is varied. To some, it means trains on dedicated track that operate in excess of 150 mph.

Others consider high speed rail as 125 mph and above. A good example is Amtrak's Acela which operates between Washington, D.C., New York, and Boston. The Acela's trip of just over two- and one-half hours, and averages about 86 mph. Still, that is far less than the speed of France's TGV, Germany's ICE train or Japan's Shinkansen, which was developed 40 years ago.

The Federal Highway Administration considers trains as those that travel faster than 110 mph, the current limit under federal regulations. By that definition, trains that operated in the 1930's out of Chicago were high speed rail.
The MHSRA likens a high speed rail network as similar to a highway system, with interstates, as well as local and arterial roads. They say the Midwest needs to build both the trunks and the feeders to city centers.
In Illinois, fast trains have been talked about for as long as building another airport near Peotone. In fact, a rail connection at the airport terminal in a 1968 plan for a new airport between Beecher and Peotone was later revised to include a high speed rail connection point.
But, experts claim that implementing high speed rail to Midwest destinations would not only negate the need for new runways, it would free additional space for long point-to-point flights at existing airports. That was the opinion of Joseph Vranich who authored "Supertrains: Solution to America's Transportation Gridlock" in 1991. Vranich later went on to serve as president of the High Speed Rail Association.
Vranich was an early opponent of the Peotone Airport. He visited the Peotone area to research the airport proposal, for which he devoted a chapter in his book.

Supertrains was a call to action that compared this country's outdated rail system with the state-of-the-art technology used in other countries abroad.

Obama's investment is a step in that direction.

Vranich told the New York Times this week that rather than doling out funds piecemeal, he would like to see is an investment in one true high speed rail system — suggesting the popular Washington to New York corridor. He warned that spreading out the investment to various states would dilute the power to build a truly high speed system.

Vranich said the closest state to developing a high speed rail network is California. Voters there approved a proposition to initiate a high speed rail project last November.
Illinois does have the potential to develop a high speed system as well. While they do not meet Vranich's definition of true high speed rail, Rick Harnish, president of the MHSRA, identified three main routes in Illinois — Chicago to Detroit, Chicago to Milwaukee, and Chicago to St. Louis – that could apply for funds.
Harnish indicated that Illinois chances are good, since the President and Rahm Emanuel, his Chief of Staff are from Illinois, as is Ray LaHood, secretary of transportation, and Dick Durbin, the second in command in the U.S. Senate.
 High speed rail could land in Illinois
    President Barack Obama has lent his support to high speed rail – both through the economic stimulus package and his first budget.
The $787 billion stimulus package set aside $8 billion for high speed rail with another $5 billion in the budget.
This investment into clean, green technology is causing a rise in the excitement level of high speed rail advocates across the country. From New York to California states look to the possibility of finally developing high speed rail.

The President talked about fast trains while on the campaign trail. Spurred by high gas prices and flight delays, last summer Obama spoke of high speed rail service as a viable alternative to the gridlock on the ground and in the air.

He talked about the potential to connect Midwest cities.
According to the Midwest High Speed Rail Association, (MHSRA) the definition of "high speed rail" is varied. To some, it means trains on dedicated track that operate in excess of 150 mph.
Others consider high speed rail as 125 mph and above. A good example is Amtrak's Acela which operates between Washington, D.C., New York, and Boston. The Acela's trip of just over two- and one-half hours, and averages about 86 mph. Still, that is far less than the speed of France's TGV, Germany's ICE train or Japan's Shinkansen, which was developed 40 years ago.
The Federal Highway Administration considers trains as those that travel faster than 110 mph, the current limit under federal regulations. By that definition, trains that operated in the 1930's out of Chicago were high speed rail.

The MHSRA likens a high speed rail network as similar to a highway system, with interstates, as well as local and arterial roads. They say the Midwest needs to build both the trunks and the feeders to city centers.
In Illinois, fast trains have been talked about for as long as building another airport near Peotone. In fact, a rail connection at the airport terminal in a 1968 plan for a new airport between Beecher and Peotone was later revised to include a high speed rail connection point.
But, experts claim that implementing high speed rail to Midwest destinations would not only negate the need for new runways, it would free additional space for long point-to-point flights at existing airports. That was the opinion of Joseph Vranich who authored "Supertrains: Solution to America's Transportation Gridlock" in 1991. Vranich later went on to serve as president of the High Speed Rail Association.
Vranich was an early opponent of the Peotone Airport. He visited the Peotone area to research the airport proposal, for which he devoted a chapter in his book.
Supertrains was a call to action that compared this country's outdated rail system with the state-of-the-art technology used in other countries abroad.
Obama's investment is a step in that direction.
Vranich told the New York Times this week that rather than doling out funds piecemeal, he would like to see is an investment in one true high speed rail system — suggesting the popular Washington to New York corridor. He warned that spreading out the investment to various states would dilute the power to build a truly high speed system.

Vranich said the closest state to developing a high speed rail network is California. Voters there approved a proposition to initiate a high speed rail project last November.

Illinois does have the potential to develop a high speed system as well. While they do not meet Vranich's definition of true high speed rail, Rick Harnish, president of the MHSRA, identified three main routes in Illinois — Chicago to Detroit, Chicago to Milwaukee, and Chicago to St. Louis – that could apply for funds.
Harnish indicated that Illinois chances are good, since the President and Rahm Emanuel, his Chief of Staff are from Illinois, as is Ray LaHood, secretary of transportation, and Dick Durbin, the second in command in the U.S. Senate.

Opponents react to reauthorized airport authority bill

The more things change, the more they stay the same; at least in eastern Will County.

Despite changes: Governor, Pat Quinn; State Sen. Toi Hutchinson; U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson; U.S. Sen. Roland Burris; and President Barack Obama; the recurring nightmare continues for landowners whose property was designated more than forty years ago as the location for a new airport.

Even with dire economic conditions, a state swimming in red ink, political turmoil, and no interest by airlines even when times were good, the state just can't let go of the project that has barely advanced in over forty years.

A new bill was introduced in Springfield Tuesday, Feb. 10 – SB 1346 — by Sen. A. J. Wilhelmi, D-Crest Hill, Toi Hutchinson, D-Chicago Heights, and Christine Radogno, R-Lemont; to establish the South Suburban Airport Authority.

The bill is similar to that which was proposed and propelled through the Senate last year by U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete who was then Senate Majority Leader. The bill died in the House, however.

If approved, the South Suburban Airport Authority would be created. It would consist of a 7 member board. Four would be appointed by the Will County Executive, with advice and consent of the county board. One would be a resident of Crete, Green Garden, Monee, Peotone, Washington or Will townships. The county executive also would name the board chairman.

One director would be appointed by the village presidents and trustees of Beecher, Crete, Monee, Peotone and University Park. The township supervisors and trustees of Bloom, Rich, Orland and Lemont townships would appoint another director.

The last director would be appointed by the chairman of the Kankakee County Board. Board members will be paid $10,000 annually for six-year terms.

If approved, the powers of the authority could commence as soon as July 1, 2010. The date was moved back by one year from the previous version of the legislation.

The authority states that it would serve as co-sponsor of the South Suburban Airport with the Illinois Dept. of Transportation (IDOT) until the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issues a Record of Decision (ROD) and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or until July 1, 2010, whichever is earlier.

At that time, according to the legislation, the authority shall enter into an agreement with IDOT to complete all ongoing projects, including the airport master plan. The authority would then assist the FAA with preparation of the EIS and ROD. When approved, the authority would serve as sponsor of the South Suburban Airport.

The authority would be responsible for preparing and publishing a map showing the airport's location. It shall show existing highways, property lines, and persons paying the most recent property taxes on land that will be needed for future additions.

If a map is filed with the county, landowners would be required to file a 60-day notice byregistered mail to the authority for alterations — even emergency repairs — on their property. The notice would be needed for all improvements in, upon, or under the land involved. They could not rebuild, alter, or add to an existing structure. After the notice, the Authority shall have 60 days after receipt of that notice to inform the owner of its intention to acquire all or part of the land involved; after which the Authority shall have the additional time of 120 days to acquire all or part of the land by purchase or to initiate action to acquire the land through the exercise of the power of eminent domain.

The authority will be responsible for all airport zoning, and will develop and enforce zoning regulations relative to airport hazards.

The legislation gives IDOT a green light to condemn property within the airport's inaugural boundary, "as quickly as possible," stating specifically "where acquisition is not voluntary."

And it isn't just the homeowners that live within the inaugural boundary in jeopardy. The Authority can, for a period of 10 years, control the land outside the inaugural airport boundary.

If the legislation is approved as written, most of the property in eastern Will County will be subject to restriction. For example, no property located within the ultimate airport footprint can change hands without receiving approval from the authority.

The bill assumes passage of an Eastern Will County Development District, which has not yet occurred.

If approved, the legislation makes the enacted authority the only entity authorized to develop, own, or operate the South Suburban Airport. It would supersede any local government, municipality, airport authority, or joint airport commission on that site.

The legislation is scheduled to take effect March 1, 2011.

The legislation is in direct competition with the effort by U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. to provide an airport authority for the airport he has named the Abraham Lincoln National Airport.

Both Jackson and Will County have been battling for years over governance of an airport void of proven need or federal approval.

George Ochsenfeld, president of STAND (Shut This Airport Nightmare Down) was astounded when he heard about another effort by legislators to establish an airport authority with broad, sweeping powers.

"It is absurd that they should waste time and energy on a project that doesn't have a prayer of happening," Ochsenfeld said, given the state of the airline industry and overall economic conditions.

He was surprised to learn that Sen. Christine Radogno, R-Lemont was one of the senators introducing the bill. He would like to remind her that she should heed her own pre-election survey that indicated the majority of people in Will County oppose a new airport.

And, about newly-appointed Sen. Toi Hutchinson, D-Chicago Heights, Ochsenfeld said he is extremely disappointed that she would push something like this without recognizing or consulting with the long held opposition expressed by a large part of her constituency. He wonders if she has even visited the airport site.

Ochsenfeld said this bill is extreme. It outlines plans for not just condemnation, but taking property "as quickly as possible."

He can't help but try to second-guess the motive for introducing the legislation to establish an airport authority.

He speculated that senators sympathetic to Will County could be simply trying to derail the efforts of U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. to build an airport outside his own district.

"If that is the case, we are tired of being the pawns in their corrupt political game," he said, expressing that there are better ways to stop Jackson and to stop the nightmare for eastern Will County residents at the same time.

"We had hope that a new administration would bring about change, yet it appears there is no change on the effort to continue funding the dysfunctional, ill-fated airport to nowhere," he said.

A similar perspective was echoed by landowner Jim Verduin, who has spent years involved in the struggle to protect his rural home.

"As usual our leaders are putting the cart before the horse," Verduin said. "This project is years away from any decision from the FAA, yet the three (potential) sponsors want to put huge restrictions on land use, zoning, and ownership not only for those living inside the inaugural footprint, but also the surrounding communities.

"Every municipality within 50 miles of this project should oppose this bill," Verduin said.

"I believe the main reason to propose this bill now is to stop Jesse Jackson and ALNAC from beating them to the punch. This is not reason enough for such a restrictive piece of legislation."

More Peotone versus O'Hare

The curtain has been drawn on airport rhetoric recently. That is, at least until the potential for an influx of federal cash to aid the O'Hare Modernization program took center stage this week.

Now it is lights, camera, and action, as the U.S. Congress agrees on a $789 billion economic stimulus plan that could include funds for O'Hare.

While there is no proof that O'Hare funds did make it into the stimulus package as of this writing, it is known that Chicago Mayor Richard Daley flew to Washington, D.C. to lobby for the stimulus bill.

Daley was flanked by a host of Democratic leaders who pushed for Illinois' share of the stimulus package for myriad blue-collar workers. Daley's concerns include the CTA, community colleges, the park district, streetlights, and sewers.

Daley indicated, according to published reports, that $50 million would keep the O'Hare Modernization Plan on track. Without it, the program might fall behind the scheduled 2014 completion date, just two years before the 2016 Summer Olympics.

U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-Chicago, who felt the stimulus bill should focus on job creation, was one of the House members who voted for the initial appropriation that would have included $30 billion for highway construction, $31 billion to modernize public infrastructure, $3 billion for airport improvements, and $10 billion for public transit and rail.

U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Chicago, who initially voted against the stimulus package as did other members of the Republican Party, suggested using all the money allotted to Illinois for O'Hare expansion.

As has been consistent during the past twenty years, whenever O'Hare funds are discussed, talk about Peotone cannot be far behind.

U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., was not among the Illinois delegation that favors using stimulus funds for O'Hare expansion. In fact Jackson specifically stated that no stimulus funds should be used for O'Hare.

Instead, Jackson claims Peotone is a better project and can be built without stimulus money.

He claims Peotone is a better alternative to adding 100,000 flights toIllinois, and that O'Hare expansion will cost $20 billion while Peotone will cost only $500 million. And he notes that Peotone would be built with money from private investors, not taxpayers.

With the exception of the constant massaging of pie-in-the-sky projections, little is available to back up Jackson's claims, however. Jackson never mentions that the Federal Aviation Administration has not approved building his pet project. His rants are silent about efforts by what would be the hosting county -- Will County -- to provide governance if an airport is built. Will County's plans are in direct competition with Jackson's self-appointed airport authority, the Abraham Lincoln National Airport Commission. And his arguments are void of discussion about the millions of dollars that additional infrastructure would cost to access an airport in a farm community with its one-lane network of country roads.

Jackson's voice is not alone. While he is the soloist, the real music comes from the backup chorus – the long-standing opponents of O'Hare expansion, including Bensenville President John Geils and Attorney Joseph Karaganis. The latest website devoted to O'Hare expansion opposition is Stop the O'Hare Modernization Program.http://www.stop-omp.org/




But when President Obama called for an economic stimulus package that would include "shovel-ready" projects that would create jobs, the O'Hare Modernization program fills the bill.

The stimulus package approved by the House was originally $819 billion. The Senate approved an $838 billion version of the bill. The two finally settled on a compromise of $789 billion.

George Ryan's ups and downs for freedom

The road to justice has been a long and winding one – both for convicted Ex-Governor George Ryan and the people of Illinois whom he defrauded.

A serious blow came to Ryan when President George W. Bush exited the White House without granting clemency for Ryan, the man who chaired Bush's Illinois campaign for President in 2000. This was despite a plea to the Ex-President from Ryan's wife Lura Lynn. Even Illinois' senior senator, Dick Durbin and an-other beleaguered Ex-Governor, Rod Blagojevich, asked for Ryan's release from prison, sug-gesting that his sentence be satis-fied by time served.

Ryan has served one year of his six- and one-half-year sen-tence after being convicted for a litany of corruption charges.

But, expect a new string of support letters to once again head toward 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. on Ryan's behalf. Jim Thompson, another Ex-Governor who is also the high-powered attorney who fought to keep Ryan out of jail for as long as possible, says he will ask Presi-dent Barack Obama for clem-ency for his client.

Thompson told WBEZ radio recently that President Obama has known Ryan since the two worked together in Springfield for a time. Thompson is prepar-ing a new application using the argument that Ryan's continued imprisonment doesn't appear to have deterred other politicians from corrupt activities.

RYAN'S PENSION

In conjunction with Ryan's 2006 conviction, he was stripped of his pension. It amounted to about $197,000 annually.

But the appellate court over-turned the circuit court, ruling earlier this month stating that Ryan could retain the pension he earned from public service prior to his terms as Secretary of State and Governor.

Ryan had also served in the state legislature and as lieutenant governor. According to the high court, he is entitled to keep about $65,000 annually.

But Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who was the first to argue that Ryan should not receive any of his pension, plans to appeal the decision.

At the time of his conviction, she issued a detailed opinion that the convicted felon should be stripped of his pension benefits.

Cook County Circuit Judge Martin Agran agreed with her. He upheld the unanimous ruling of the General Assembly Re-tirement System board that voted to deny Ryan his annual pension.

Madigan said at the time that Ryan forfeited all of his pension benefits, not merely those that accrued during the eight years that he served as Governor and Secretary of State. She also re-quested that he receive a timely and full refund of the contribu-tions he made to the system.

NOBEL PRIZE NOMINEE

There is at least one advocate of Ryan's deeds who has been consistent in his support. Uni-versity of Illinois law professor Francis Boyle, who has long ad-vocated abolishing the death penalty, has placed Ryan's name in nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize for the seventh time.

Boyle says his continuing nomination encourages aware-ness of the issue of capital pun-ishment. Boyle said 37 execu-tions occurred in 2008, a down-ward trend that began with Ryan's death penalty morato-rium.

Ryan did away with Illinois' death row in 2003 before leaving office.

Will County Illinois has its own version of the "Bridge to Nowhere"

Fund request includes local version of 'Bridge to Nowhere'

As part of its $26 million federal request for roads, infrastructure, and safety projects, in advance of President Barack Obama's potential stimulus bill, Will County included a request for funding for planning for a proposed Peotone airport.

The government throwing money at this ill-conceived, unlikely-to-be-completed project might be described as Will County's own version of the 'Bridge to Nowhere.'

Perhaps the project might be more aptly named, 'Flight to Nowhere.'

While there are some very worthwhile and even perhaps critical projects included in the funding request, funds for the 'Flight to Nowhere' is not among them. And perhaps the project should enjoy the same fate as the bridge.

In 2005, the U.S. Congress nixed the $398 million 'Bridge to Nowhere'. It would have served only 50 residents. The bridge was to connect Ketchikan, Alaska to the sparsely populated Gravina Island.
The project, which caused ample embarrassment to the U.S. Congress, was considered the epitome of wasteful spending.

It became the proverbial poster child for congressional earmarks, those eleventh-hour additions tacked-on to federal spending bills by individual congressmen, seeking perks for their districts, usually as a means for getting re-elected. Ever since earmarks became a household word, they have been scrutinized, even though some of those too, represented worthwhile projects. The problem is that many were not.

As is customary, Will County sends its annual request for funding to the federal government. And almost habitually, the request includes funding for the 'Flight to Nowhere.'

Not all habits are good. And this may be one case where change is needed.

With the exception of some political maneuvering, there has been no forward movement on 'Flight to Nowhere' since yet another new map was submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration last March. Who can count all the maps that have been submitted over the past 20 years that the project has been in its perpetual planning phase?

No maps, no matter how skillfully drawn; tax dollars from every level of government; or lofty rhetoric from boosters; has been able to accomplish what a successful airport requires — a federal declaration of need, airlines who will use it, and passengers who want it.

According to a Will County press release, the portion of the $26 million request includes nearly half a million dollars for airport planning. Is continued planning for this boondoggle really the best use of $500,000 of Will County funds?
The Will County release claims that funds would develop a multi-jurisdictional land-use plan that would ensure regional benefits of growth while minimizing any adverse impacts.

This habitual language in Will County's request fails to consider that legislation to establish a development district for which a multi-jurisdictional land use plan would consider, does not exist. It languishes in the rules committee of the Illinois House.

The release states that the development plan was devised by Will County along with the Villages of Beecher, Crete, Peotone, Monee, and University Park.

How long ago was that plan written? How many changes have taken place in the affected communities that have not been incorporated into the plan? Is Will County even aware that these five communities that once held regular meetings may no longer share common concerns?

The planning funds include a 6-township multi-jurisdictional land-use plan. Is that even feasible? It wasn't according to former Transportation Secretary Timothy Martin, who said the ultimate build-out of an airport larger than O'Hare would not happen in his lifetime. Even a scaled-down version looks like an impossibility.
The press release says the federally-funded plan would take into account all types of developments based on the future growth of the communities and airport.

Too bad this funding request failed to consider reality.

• There is no airport project;
• There is no enabling legislation for a development district;
• The five towns that once worked together no longer speak to one another;
• Will County, like the rest of the country, is in the midst of a recession;
• And, air travel is lower than it has been for 15 years, due to the negative economy.

So, is requesting another $500,000 to plan for an unneeded project that has failed to advance from the drawing board in its 20-year existence, a wise use of funds?

Perhaps Will County should realize its perennial request for funding is sorely outdated and represents nothing more than a 'Flight to Nowhere.'

Freshmen congress sworn-in

Halvorson sworn in Tuesday, To serve on ag committee

Debbie Halvorson, D-Crete was among the new members of the 111th Congress sworn in when the session convened Tuesday morning.