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Year's first U.S. tornado death in Illinois
The section of the country that begins in Illinois and Iowa and travels down the central section of the country is known as Tornado Alley for a good reason. Although tornados can occur anywhere, this is where most major weather systems collide creating deadly tornados. This year's first tornado-related death in the country happened near Wayne City when a 47-year-old man was killed on April 21. The tornado hit Wayne and Jefferson counties and blew through Sims, Fairfield and Golden Gate in addition to Wayne City. Several people were hospitalized. The really strange thing is we lost four poles, they're gone, blown away completely. If someone finds one in their backyard it is probably ours. We are still finding damage where poles were cracked but didn't go over in the storm." Young said without help from other co-ops it would have taken much longer to restore power. "For the extent of the damage we had, I thought we got power restored quickly. I'm very pleased with the response of not only the Wayne-White Counties' employees, but also the employees of SouthEastern Electric and Tri-County Electric. All their long hours were greatly appreciated," said Young. The tornado was rated an F3 with wind speeds of 158 to 206 mph. Gov. George Ryan declared Wayne County a state disaster area. The tornado damaged power lines in the Sims and Fairfield area, but crews from SouthEastern Illinois Electric Cooperative and Tri-County Electric Cooperative came to the aide of Wayne-White Counties Electric Cooperative, and together the co-op linemen had power restored by the following evening. "We had at least half a million dollars in damage," said Jack Young, President/CEO of Wayne-White Counties Electric. " Stamp prices to go up June 30 Higher postal rates, including the cost of mailing a letter, become effective June 30. The rate increases include a 3-cent increase for the postage stamp to 37 cents. "The Governors [Postal Service Board of Governors] recognize that continual rate increases are not the long-term answer to maintaining a national postal system," said Robert F. Rider, Chairman of the Board of Governors. Rider said that the higher rates will help the Postal Service cope with the current economic crisis and have submitted transformation plans to Congress to operate in a more efficient manner in the future. The plan includes increased flexibility in changing rates, adding new services, and negotiating charges to large mailers. Future plans may also include closing small post offices, according to Postal Service representatives. The Postal Service experienced a $1.6 billion loss last year even before the terrorist attacks. The agency has stopped new construction and cut staff by 12,000 during the last year. The Postal Service does not receive taxpayer funds for operation, but the agency did receive emergency funds from Congress to help cope with anthrax contaminations last fall. Postmaster General John Potter said, "We are committed to retaining this rate schedule until at least, calendar year 2004."
Source: Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers;
6 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING www.aiec.org County fair trivia County fairs are such popular attractions in Illinois that there are more fairs than there are counties! Illinois has 102 counties, but 105 county fairs. That's because four counties — Christian, LaSalle, Pike and Washington — hold two fairs each, and one county — Livingston — holds three (three counties hold no county fair]. The oldest county fair in Illinois is the Macoupin County Fair. According to Illinois Department of Agriculture records, it was organized Jan. 1,1852, a year before the first Illinois State Fair, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.
DeKalb County has the largest county fairgrounds in Illinois —171 acres. At four acres in size, Gallatin County has the smallest county fairgrounds in Illinois. The most heavily attended county fair in 2001 was in Peoria County, where 250,000 people passed through the gates.
Illinois first in use of digital technology Illinois' use of digital technology to make government more accessible and to improve services has been ranked the best in the nation, according to a major national survey conducted by The Progress & Freedom Foundation and the Center for Digital Government. The state shared the top placement with Kansas in the 2001 digital state survey. Among the individual categories, Illinois was rated first for its digital access in Education, along with Law Enforcement and the Courts. Source: Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs Every day someone is electrocuted Statistics indicate more than 40,000 home fires are caused by problems with home electrical wiring systems. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), within those 40,000 home fires, one person dies every 25 hours, thousands and thousands of injuries occur, and more than $2 billion is lost in property damage. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) figures reflect that one person is electrocuted every day in the workplace. In Illinois a statewide electrical safety campaign was launched by a coalition of nearly three-dozen Illinois electric utilities, electric cooperatives and the University of Illinois. All are members of the Illinois Electric Council (IEC). In addition to public service announcements, the coalition has created a Web site, www.SafeElectricity.org. The site has detailed information and lists educational materials available, such as videotapes and books for teachers and others promoting safe use of electricity. Senate energy bill favorable to co-op members The Senate has passed a broad energy bill—S. 517, the Energy Policy Act—in an 88-11 vote on April 25. The vote marked the end of eight weeks of intense floor debate on the controversial bill that has favorable provisions for co-ops. "We commend the Senate leadership as well as the Administration for standing up to the enormous task of dealing with hundreds of amendments to hammer out a balanced bill that provides for energy efficiency as well as production needs," said Glenn English, chief executive officer of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. One of the most beneficial provisions for co-ops included in the Senate bill is relief from the 85/15 rule, which will ensure fair treatment of co-ops during restructuring of the electric utility industry. Under current law, 85 percent of a rural electric cooperative's income must come from its members in order for the co-op to maintain its tax exempt status. However, in a restructured electricity market, co-ops may be required to engage in activities that could put their tax exempt status in jeopardy. Also included in the bill are specific consumer protection provisions in light of the bill's repeal of the Public Utilities Holding Company Act, a 1930s law designed to protect consumers from potential market power abuses created by mergers of large utilities. The Senate bill has language that will protect consumers from the market power of large electric utility mergers that will result in higher electric rates for consumers. The Senate energy bill will now move on to conference committee, which is an ad hoc panel of House and Senate conferees formed for the purposes of reconciling differences in legislation that has passed both chambers. Illinois tops in new business expansion Illinois received the top state ranking by Site Selection magazine in its annual listing that recognizes new industrial business locations and expansions. In the same report, Chicago was rated the number one metropolitan area with a total of 884 new or expanded facilities added last year. Additionally, Peru, Danville and Effingham were listed among the top 20 small towns for corporate facilities. The trade publication is used by private developers in evaluating potential places for growth opportunities. Source: Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs JUNE 2002 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 7
Secretary of State Jesse White took off his shoes and climbed on top of his desk to preach his sermon about life to nearly 300 Illinois high school students. The students were in the state capital for the annual Illinois Electric and Telephone Cooperative Youth Day, a day when they meet with their state legislators. White pleaded with the students to drive responsibly, especially during prom weekends. "Prom stands for please return on Monday, " said White. He also told the students about a new organ donor awareness TV campaign that features Olympic bronze medallist Chris Klug, a recent liver transplant recipient. "We lead the nation with 6 million people signed up to be organ donors," said White. "Pennsylvania is second with 4 million. We have 5,000 people on the waiting list for a donated organ. Last year 400 people in Illinois died because organs that matched did not arrive in time. One person can provide life, or improve the quality of life, for 50 people. While you are alive you should donate blood. When you are no longer here we think you should donate your organs. Sign the back of your drivers license." Klug and Walter Payton were diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC), a rare, degenerative bile duct condition. (See www.chrisklug.com for details).
White said, "Chris knew what happened to Walter Payton. So he put his name on the donor list. Two months after he received his liver he began training for the Winter Olympics. He won a bronze medal. After that he wanted to get involved in the Illinois organ donor program, the most successful organ donor program in the nation." A week after meeting with the students, White unveiled a new TV commercial featuring U2's "Beautiful Day," which tells the story of Klug, the only organ recipient ever to compete in the Olympics. Klug won the bronze medal in snowboarding's parallel giant slalom in the Salt Lake City Olympics in February. "Chris' story is inspirational because it shows that organ donors can make dreams come true, even Olympic dreams," said White. "That's why it is so important for you to sign the back of your driver's license, and tell your families you want to be an organ donor." 8 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING www.aiec.org
By Gina M. Troppa As a member of a cooperative, you have a basic understanding of how a cooperative works and what elements are involved. Yet, you may not know that electric cooperatives aren't the only kind of cooperative commonly found in our country. Cooperatives are everywhere. Did you know that according to the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), the first successful cooperative formed in America was a program created by Benjamin Franklin to provide insurance for homes? Since then, cooperatives have continued to play an important role in the American economy. The CFA estimates that more than 100 million families participate in cooperatives today. Cooperatives come in many different forms. However, one thing is constant - they all provide valuable services on a not-for-profit basis. Credit unions are cooperatives. Credit unions usually provide the same services as large, for-profit banks. Yet, they typically have fewer charges and fees, along with lower loan rates. Electric cooperatives provide electrical services to their members that would have been otherwise unavailable in rural areas. As a member of an electric cooperative, you can take an active role in making decisions and planning for the future of your co-op. Telephone cooperatives provide telecommunication services to rural areas at a competitive rate. Many also provide Internet access, cable and satellite TV, and several forms of wireless services. Housing cooperatives are another type of cooperative. Cooperative housing is owned and controlled by its residents and has been found to be an effective way to maintain a pleasing living environment at a lower cost. Several local governments are encouraging the development of housing cooperatives because people who own their homes often take greater pride in the upkeep of their home and neighborhood.
Senior home care cooperatives were formed due to a lack of long-term care alternatives. Families may attempt to care for their elderly parent(s) in their home, but the financial and emotional burdens are often too great. A senior home care cooperative enables families to share care-giving responsibilities for their elderly family members while still having lives of their own. Baby-sitting or childcare cooperatives can be found in both formal and informal situations. A baby-sitting cooperative consists of a group of parents willing to exchange babysitting duties with other parents. Instead of money, a point system is used to keep track of the amount of hours another family will watch your child. To replenish your supply of points, you must baby-sit other parents' children. In contrast, a childcare cooperative is more like a day-care facility. However, the cooperative structure gives parents an active voice in their child's education. Parents often serve as aides in the classroom and assist with policy making and fundraising. Parental involvement cuts expenses, and these savings are passed on to the members. Health care cooperatives are commonly known as cooperative health maintenance organizations (HMOs). HMOs provide comprehensive healthcare to more than 1 million Americans and play a vital role in our country's health care system. Cooperatives are everywhere. Some well-known brands are actually co-ops. Ocean Spray, Land O' Lakes and Florida's Natural Orange Juice are just a few among the many farmer-owned cooperatives found in the United States. As a member of an electric cooperative, you possess knowledge of how cooperatives work and why they are important, especially in rural America. If you believe a need in your community is not being met, take the first step, form a cooperative. For more information about forming a cooperative, visit your local electric co-op or go to the USDA's Rural Development Web site at www.rurdev.usda.gov. JUNE 2002 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 9 |
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