HERE’S WHAT’S MAKING NEWS ON WGFA Tuesday, August 12, 2008 >

Iroquois County readies for wind tower hearings…. Wind energy occupies time of officials in Vermilion County….. AG meetings focus on Disaster Assistance; Iroquois crops looking good….. Randy Miller reports on local 4-Hers at the State Fair….

Another cool day in store, pleasant temps. Sunndy to start with a high near 80. Clouds developing with a chance of rain overnight.

–Sale of Champions at the IL State Fair this evening –

• Vision Energy, another wind farm company, is gearing up for construction in Iroquois County. Public hearings on the proposed development of wind towers are drawing near. They could start in October, according to Zoning Administrator Gloria Schleef. Schleef said development of the wind tower operations could lead to as many as dozen meetings or more, depending on how much opposition exists. Vision Energy is expected to submit its application by October 7th.
• The Iroquois County Planning & Zoning Committee will ask the County Board today to amend the wind tower ordinance. An initial $1,500 fee is in place for applications to cover the administrative costs of meetings and other legal matters. Vision Energy is proposing up to 45-50 wind towers in northwest Iroquois County, in the Milks Grove Township area. The company is pursuing a 300-tower wind farm covering parts of Iroquois, Ford, Livingston and Kankakee counties. The K-4 Wind Farm expects to begin construction in late 2009.
• Horizon Wind Energy is making progress with plans for its wind farm in Vermilion, Champaign, Edgar and Coles counties. The company’s in the early stages of evaluating the potential of the wind turbine project. Horizon says its may test for two years before work begins. Meanwhile, the Vermilion County Board is working on a uniform ordinance. Finance committee chairman Bill Donahue says officials want understood rules in place for landowners and the developing company. If the Horizon project proceeds, anywhere from 100 to 120 turbines would cover 10,000 acres acropss the tips of the four counties.
• The possible closing of the Pontiac Prison is the subject of a hearing next Wednesday, August 20th. The public hearing was scheduled today but then re-scheduled because of the special session for lawmakers today and Wednesday in Springfield. Pontiac officials are looking for support to convince a legislative committee to recommend against the closure. The governor said last week he doesn’t want to close the prison, but indicated it’s part of larger budget issues.
• The Iroquois County Farm Service Agency (FSA) is hosting meetings to cover the Supplemental Agriculture Disaster Assistance programs. FSA Executive Director James Brock invites area farmers to attend any of two meetings Thursday, August 21st. A morning meeting at 8 am is at the Elks Lodge in Watseka. An afternoon meeting is at 1:30 at the Roberts School gym in Ford County.
• Brock also reports Iroquois County crops are looking good, despite so much re-planting earlier in the spring. Yields will be effected, but perhaps not as much as some figured early in the growing season.
• Randy Miller’s Hometown Radio Reports from the Illinois State Fair can be heard online at WGFARADIO.COM.

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