WGFA NEWS for Thursday, July 2, 2009 >
Iroquois County Finance committee suggests 8.5% cuts…. Regional Planning Commission meets July 7th…. LIHEAP Grant to assist east-central Illinois households…. Kankakee County Speedway shut down….
WX > Another cloudy, cool day in Illiana. High near 74. NW wind 5-15.
* Olivet Nazarene University is losing its president. John Bowling has been named Superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene in Orlando, Florida. Bowling has served as Olivet president since 1991. He was elected to his new calling Tuesday at the Nazarene denomination’s 27th general assembly in Florida.
Under Bowling’s tenure at Olivet, enrollment has more doubled. He also led the charge to bring the Chicago Bears to the Bourbonnais campus for the NFL team’s summer practice sessions in 2002. He also led several construction expansion projects at Olivet.
* The Kankakee County Speedway is closed. The Daily-Journal reports financial matters forced the closing, made official Tuesday afternoon. Promoter Doug Judy has been dealing with financial setbacks and the Speedway’s Web site states “the track failed to live up to its payment obligations under the sanctioning agreement with DIRTcar Racing.”
Judy reopened the track with a group of partners after the fairground track closed in 2008. Judy received a lot of fan-fare with his announcement that the Kankakee County track would reopen this season. Former promoter Sherri Heckenast stepped away from the local track in 2008, deciding instead to direct her interests to a track she owns in Kentucky. Then, Doug Judy (who hails from Indiana) grabbed the limelight, announcing he’d reopen the track this year with an emphasis on family fun and local promotions. Spring rains this year delayed the start of the season.
The quarter-mile dirt track located at the county fairgrounds, just off Route 45, had been hosting stock car races since 1949.
* Still fussing over the Iroquois County budget, a reluctant county board finance committee Wednesday managed to agree on cutting the current year’s budget across-the-board at 8.5%. A compromise was reached by members after Board Chairman Ron Schroeder insisted the committee “get something on the table” as a starting point. An earlier motion for an 8% cut was defeated 4-3; the four No votes (Russell Bills, Charlie Ault, Kevin Hansen and Rod Copas) agreeing even a 12% CUT would still find the county losing money.
The Finance Committee met earlier in the day with AFSCME and FOP union reps and the county board’s legal official to see what, IF anything, couild be re-worked with union contracts. It’s all to deal with dwindling finances and serious talk of employee lay-offs. Question for Finance Chairman Jim Meyer: Can something here work ? …….. :47 {A START} # 5
* The East Central Illinois Community Action Agency has received $289, 400 dollars for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to assist with sumemr cooling needs. The money comes from the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity to provide help for eligible households in Iroquois, Ford and Vermilion counties. Applications will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Monday, July 6th.
