The report identifies potential and current contamination threats to the water quality, suggests what actions should be taken to protect the aquifer in the long-term, and lists legislative recommendations to add further protections.

 “This report is a critical piece to help ensure the Mahomet Aquifer and the drinking water it provides to hundreds of thousands of people is protected now and for future generations,” State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet said). “I want to thank the members of the Task Force for participating in numerous meetings and compiling this and making recommendations for concrete ideas to protect our water supply for the future.”

 Some of the highlights from the report include recommending the Legislature provide $19.8 million to the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) to use helicopter-based time-domain electromagnetics (HTEM technology) to more accurately map and characterize the Mahomet Aquifer to aid in identifying the connections with other aquifers and surface waters.

 “That’ll give us a much clearer view of what’s underground, providing detailed data of what’s in and around the Mahomet Aquifer,” Rose said. “For example, if any old landfills above the Aquifer have failed and run the risk of contaminating the water. Also, the laser study can potentially help us find where the natural gas bubble is from the Peoples Gas natural gas leak. The data from this technology will help us deal with all sorts of issues and identity other potential threats to the Aquifer.”

The Task Force also recommends that a public body be established to manage the Aquifer long-term. This body would be responsible for responding to future issues, among other duties, and the report made a number of suggestions for future study for such a body.

 “We’ve seen year after year, issues arise that risk the healthy future of the Aquifer,” Rose said. “Be it potential contaminants from the Clinton landfill or the natural gas leak from Peoples Gas, we need a group of local and knowledgeable people dedicated to protecting the Aquifer.”

 Other recommendations include:

• Establish a trust fund to cover the cost of remediation in the event of a significant environmental incident so immediate remediation can begin;
•  Require companies storing natural gas underground to consult with third-party environmental experts in the event of a significant environmental incident to certify corrective plans and conduct oversight of the cleanup;
• Train inspectors to use the detailed terrain model templates and instruct staff on how to annotate these images with defects such as depressions, erosion, landslides, barren areas, leachate seeps, trees, and vegetation anomalies;
•  Implement the recommendations listed and provide additional funding ($1 million for one-time equipment purchase and additional $2.3 million annually) to PRI to deploy state-of-the-art monitoring networks and create the analytical capability to identify emerging contaminants of concern.

 “We feel there are a lot of good ideas we brought forward,” said Jim Risley, a Task Force member from Mahomet. “We haven’t filled in all the gaps, but we have filled in a lot of them. I don’t think anyone is naive enough to say we’d get it all taken care of through this Task Force. So, there are other things in the future that will have to happen. But, I think we did a good job addressing many of those issues.”

“I think we have put together some significant issues that need to be addressed and some strong recommendations we can push onto Sen. Rose and the other legislators,” said Teresa Barnett, the DeWitt County EMA Director. “I would like to see that our work is not in vain and we can hopefully follow it as it goes through the legislative process and they become laws and regulations that will protect the Aquifer.”

 “The best part of being a part of this process is seeing divergent interest groups come together over the protection of the Aquifer,” said Champaign Mayor Deb Frank-Feinen. “The most important thing that can come out of this is the mapping of the Aquifer. I think we need that baseline data before we can take further actions. We need to know what is going on currently in order to plan for the future.”

Rose joined fellow State Sen. Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) in the effort to establish the Mahomet Aquifer Task Force, passing legislation that was signed into law Aug. 25, 2017. This year, Rose also led the way in passing a law that requires gas storage field owners to notify local communities if natural gas leaks threaten to expose residents and businesses to contaminated water, and mandates annual storage field inspections by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).

Just last month, Rose sponsored legislation that passed the General Assembly that gives, for the first time, full jurisdictional authority to the IDNR to regulate natural gas pipelines and storage facilities above the Mahomet Aquifer, and more importantly, enforce actions and complaints against the operators who fail to protect water supplies.

 The Mahomet Aquifer is the primary source of drinking water for 500,000 Central Illinois residents, providing 53 million gallons of water per year to 120 public water systems and helping supply water for rural wells. 

 “While I do not agree with everything in our final document report, I believe it is an overall solid list of recommendations that will help protect the Aquifer for a long time,” Rose concluded.

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Senate Bill 3549 will give, for the first time, full jurisdictional authority to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to regulate natural gas pipelines and storage facilities above the Mahomet Aquifer, and more importantly, enforce actions and complaints against the operators who fail to protect water supplies

“Protecting our local water is a top priority,” Rose said. “I am excited that for the first time, we now have given IDNR not just the ability to regulate but enforce complaints against these operators. We can and will always do more to protect our local drinking water, but this is an important step forward for those who receive their drinking water from the Mahomet Aquifer. Further, this prevents the State of Illinois from losing critical federal dollars for inspections that would have happened if we failed to pass this legislation.”

It was discovered in 2016 that an underground natural gas leak of a storage facility owned and operated by Peoples Gas tainted the drinking water for several people in rural Champaign County. The Mahomet Aquifer is the primary source of drinking water for 500,000 Central Illinois residents, providing 53 million gallons of water per year to 120 public water systems and helping supply water for rural wells.

The Illinois House also passed the legislation Nov. 28. It now heads to Gov. Bruce Rauner for his signature.

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“As the first International Dark-Sky Park in Illinois, Middle Fork River Forest Preserve’s protected dark-skies are truly a fantastic resource for Midwestern stargazers,” said IDA International Dark Sky Places Program Manager Adam Dalton. “Located immediately adjacent to the Champaign-Urbana metro area and only two hours from Chicago, the park’s dark-skies allow urban and rural residents alike to experience the wonders of the cosmos in a setting close to home.”

Middle Fork River Forest Preserve is a 688-hectare site in eastern Illinois, U.S., one of six public preserves owned and operated by the District. It protects a restored prairie rich in native wildflowers and grasses, and its landscape features a variety of habitats including upland oak forest, restored prairie and river bottom forest. Hiking, wildlife viewing, and fishing are popular activities in the Preserve. The Preserve is also a dark nighttime refuge for wildlife in the midst of significant skyglow from nearby cities such as Urbana, Champaign and Rantoul.

Concern for the area’s night skies began in 2007 when members of the Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society (CUAS) lobbied for changes to street lighting in the jurisdiction of Champaign, the largest municipality in Champaign County. In the same year, CUAS began collaborating with the District’s Education Department to offer ‘Starwatch’ astronomy-related stargazing programs at the Preserve.

We could not be more grateful to the International Dark-Sky Association and the C-U Astronomical Society for their work in protecting one of our greatest natural assets – the star-filled night sky. Located in the darkest corner of our county, Middle Fork fit all the criteria for Dark Sky Park status. We now have the opportunity for everyone to recognize it too,” stated Mary Ellen Wuellner, Executive Director of the Forest Preserve District.

In 2016-17, the District spent over $20,000 to upgrade the Preserve’s outdoor lighting to meet IDA recommendations, and new interpretive programs educate the public about the benefits of nighttime darkness and interpret the lighting retrofit project to Preserve visitors. The new programs also provide an opportunity to showcase the new dark-sky-compliant light fixtures installed at Middle Fork and offer suggestions to the public on how to limit excessive nighttime light in their home environments. The importance and benefits of darkness and a star-filled sky now play a role in all of of the Preserve’s nighttime programs.

“Our funding partners – the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation and the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois – and many private donors made it possible for us to switch out all the exterior lighting at Middle Fork to fully-shielded, dark sky-compliant fixtures. This really was a team effort,” Wuellner explained.

In recognition of its newly dedicated International Dark Sky Park status, Middle Fork River Forest Preserve will celebrate with the public during International Dark Sky week, March 31-April 6, 2019, by throwing a star party. The Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society will join the District in ramping up night-sky related programming at Middle Fork, while visitors who camp in the preserve’s campground will continue to have nightly access to the park’s dark skies.

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Professional sports teams are often located in metropolitan areas with millions of residents nearby.

That means that the multitude of jobs associated with the professional teams potentially have millions of local candidates.

So, how does a man who has lived in Mansfield (population 865) for the past 2 1/2 years become the public address announcer for both the Chicago Fire soccer team and the Indiana Pacers basketball team?

“I literally ask myself that question every day,” Tim Sinclair said.

If anyone should have the answer, it would be Sinclair, who has handled the PA duties for the Fire the last five seasons and started his tenure with the NBA Pacers late last month.

“It’s amazing to me that I’m the guy who gets to do these events,” said Sinclair, who also handles PA duties for University of Illinois basketball home games. “I drive to a city of millions to watch sports, and then come home to my town of less than 1,000.”

Sinclair was born in Michigan and lived in Detroit until a family move found him in the Mahomet-Seymour school district for the start of his sixth-grade year in 1989.

A former Bulldog basketball player, Sinclair graduated from M-S in 1996. He enjoyed sports, but wasn’t thinking it would become a career.

“I was a sports fan and definitely recognized the broadcasters of the sports I loved, Ernie Harwell of the Detroit Tigers and George Blaha of the Detroit Pistons,” Sinclair said, “but I never really thought of doing the job myself.

“It wasn’t until my freshman year in college that doing radio ever crossed my mind.”

Since then, Sinclair has made the rounds, accepting his first full-time radio position locally as a production director at Mix 94.5 and WIXY 100.3 in 1998.

He followed that up with on-air assignments in Baton Rouge, La., Chicago, and Nashville before returning to Champaign for a stint co-hosting the morning show at WBGL from 2008-2014.

“My public address career started in 2009 with a single Illini baseball game,” Sinclair recalled.

“Even though I wasn’t very good in the beginning, the University asked me back to do more and more events over the years. I’ve done literally every sport at Illinois, taking over women’s basketball in 2012, men’s basketball in 2015, and soccer in 2016.”

In 2011, he was the runner-up in the Chicago Cubs PA search, but three years later, he was awarded the Chicago Fire announcing job.

“I’ve always felt like a good PA announcer should be concise, correct and rarely — if ever — the star of the show,” Sinclair said. “My goal is always to have my voice and energy reflect what the crowd is — or should be — feeling in the moment.

“I want to be part of the fan experience, but I don’t necessarily want fans to be talking about me much when they leave.”

Former UI basketball PA voice Jim Sheppard was known for his “Deeee for threee,” call during the years Dee Brown played for the Illini.

“As for signature calls, my three-point call is ‘Three pooooints, Pacers (or Illinois)’ and then the name of the player who made the basket,” Sinclair said.

When former Pacers PA announcer Michael Grady departed in 2017 for a similar position in New York working with the Brooklyn Nets, Sinclair was one of nearly 100 applicants to be his replacement. Fifteen were asked to audition at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

“The Pacers put out a call for the job and I applied,” he said. “I auditioned, made the callback.”

He felt good about his prospects.

“I walked away from the initial 2017 audition feeling like I did as good as I could do,” Sinclair said. “I had no idea if it was good enough or not, but I was pleased with how it went.”

However, it was a case of deja vu. Like with the Cubs opening six years earlier, he was the runner-up, this time to Jerry Baker, the original radio voice of the Pacers.

“This past summer, I was asked to do five WNBA games in Indy which, ultimately, turned out to be another tryout,” Sinclair said. “By the end of the Indiana Fever season, I was offered the Pacers job and am now the fifth PA guy in Pacers history.”

As for what he says during Pacers’ home games, Sinclair said, “while the game is being played, nothing is scripted. It’s up to me to call baskets, fouls, substitutions, and referee reviews as I see fit. However, before the game, at halftime and during timeouts, there is generally a script for lineups, promotional announcements and crowd interaction.”

Although Sinclair has followed the NBA, he has also learned not to make assumptions.

“I’m a fan, for sure, so I know a lot of the names,” he said, “but I ALWAYS ask.

“In every sport I do, I seek out the public relations person to go over pronunciations. I want to get them perfect.”

He has a strategy that is effective for names that could be tongue-twisters.

“I spend time before every game writing each name out phonetically,” Sinclair said. “Otherwise, the biggest challenges are the five or six people who are all talking to me while I’m talking to the crowd (director, video, on-court handlers, audio, etc.) and the variations in rules between the leagues.

“College vs. pro. Men vs. women. Since I do all of them, it can be difficult to remember which rules apply when.”

Earlier this fall, Sinclair expanded the broadcasting part of his career from radio to television.

“My foray into television began as the new co-host on ciLiving at WCIA 3,” he said.

Sinclair isn’t big into memorabilia, but he does have one growing collection.

“I collect the credentials I get each game or season in each sport,” he said. “It helps me remember which events I’ve worked in which years.

“I also try to hold on to as many of the crowd giveaways as possible (bobbleheads, hats, and other special items).”

By his estimation, he is closing in on 1,000 press credentials.

His highlights are too many to select one favorite.

“I could spend an hour talking about the memories,” Sinclair said. “At Illinois, the first game at the renovated State Farm Center vs. Notre Dame, Senior Night for Malcolm Hill when we beat Michigan State, calling Jesse Delgado’s Big Ten Wrestling Championship, and the NCAA National Tennis Championships.

“Otherwise, introducing Lionel Messi and Argentina at Soldier Field during Copa America and watching him score three goals, the 2017 MLS All-Star Game, and working multiple U.S. men’s and women’s national team soccer matches.”

Sinclair is becoming a familiar face at the Pacers’ games.

“Victor Oladipo comes by and fist-bumps me and a few others right before tip,” Sinclair said.

“There are other limited encounters before games, but that’s the most regular.”

Sinclair is also starting to amass an array of stories from his time courtside.

“My favorite stories are always ones that no one else can see or hear,” Sinclair said. “Official Ted Valentine once forgot his uniform, had to borrow one, and hold up his black pants with a belt made of electrical tape.

“Referee Gene Steratore once asked me, while play was going on, if I smelled fertilizer. I did not.

“And my favorite is when former Illinois women’s basketball coach Matt Bollant had gotten some sort of weird eye infection the morning before a game. This wasn’t funny until he walked on to the court minutes before tip-off wearing a black eye patch. We were playing Seton Hall. As in the Seton Hall Pirates. Bollant profusely apologized to their coach during the handshake. Thankfully, he understood.”

At times, Sinclair has traveling partners for his road trips from Mansfield to Chicago or Indianapolis.

“I always tell my two boys (ages 11 and 9) that experiences are better than stuff,” he said, “and I’m so lucky that this job — or series of jobs — allows the three of us to have experiences together that we’ll never forget.

“They come with me to many events and get to sit in the press box or shoot hopes on the floor before warmups. We get lots of time in the car to laugh and play games and listen to music. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Sinclair will be on the road again tonight  for Pacers’ games and then he has the UI men’s basketball home-opener on Thursday.

He is the second person in recent years with Champaign-Urbana connections to serve as a PA voice for professional sports teams.

UI graduate Gene Honda — a former radio personality in Champaign-Urbana at WKIO — has served as the PA voice of the NHL Chicago Blackhawks since 1990 and the PA voice of the Chicago White Sox since 1991 full-time. Honda’s other credits include DePaul Blue Demons basketball, UI football, and, since 2010, the NCAA Final Four.

“I know Gene and love getting to interact with him at Illini football games and fill in for him when he can’t be there,” Sinclair said. “Very, very few PA guys make an entire living that way, but Gene is good enough to do it.

“In fact, he’s probably the best in the country. His success in the business has helped show me that, perhaps, I could do the same.”

Sinclair, in fact, has a Bucket List beyond what he is currently doing.

“My goals for the future include the Olympics, World Cup, and either the Bears or the Colts,” he said. “Since the NFL only has eight home games, it’s the only other sport I could fit into my schedule.”

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Winn, who is the spokesman for Community Blood Services of Illinois, said that blood donation decreases during the holiday season.

“As donors get busy with holiday travel, shopping, events, ect. we see a decrease in the rate of blood donation” he said.

Winn said during the week of Thanksgiving donations start to drop on Wednesday as people start to travel or host family and prepare their holiday meals. The drop continues on Black Friday which people use for additional travel, shopping or entertainment like movies or football games.

“It’s just nothing like a normal week in terms of blood donation,” he said.

Winn said the challenge during the holiday season is that hospitals continue to provide transfusions for patients who need blood, even as the donations drop.

“Medical care never stops, so the demand for blood is constant year-round,” he said. “If our supply is  being used at the same rate, even though the rate of donation drops, we need to recruit as many donors as possible in the days leading up to the holiday and immediately after.”

Community Blood Services of Illinois provides all of the blood used for patient transfusions in Champaign-Urbana, Mattoon, Effingham, Danville and the surrounding regions.

Winn said donors help provide a critical resource to local hospitals.

“During the holiday season we hope everyone will remember blood donation is the one gift everyone needs, costs nothing to give and can help save a life.” he said. “It’s the donations that are ‘on the shelves’ and ready to transfuse that make the difference in an emergency.”

Donors may give blood at the Donation Center located at 1408 W. University Avenue in Urbana. The center is open Monday 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday  7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday 7:30 a.m. to noon.

Winn said the best way to learn about opportunities to give blood is by visiting www.bloodcenterimpact.org or by calling 217-367-2202.  There is also a mobile app that gives information about donor centers or mobile blood drives. The app can be downloaded at www.bloodcenter.org/app.

If anyone is interested in hosting a blood drive they can visit www.bloodcenter.org/host-a-blood-drive/ or call 217-367-2202.

The American Red Cross is also encouraging people to donate blood during the holiday months.

The Red Cross is in need of 6,500 additional groups across the country to host blood drives in December,

January and February to ensure blood will be available for patients. In Central Illinois, 1,000 more blood drives are needed.

“When someone hosts a blood drive, they give donors a chance to donate lifesaving blood, in turn helping to save dozens or even hundreds of lives,” said Cliff Numark, senior vice president, Biomedical Services. “Blood shortages are not uncommon during the winter months, and these shortages could cause delays in patient care. But with the help of volunteer blood drive partners, the Red Cross can be better prepared to meet patient needs all winter long.”

To learn more about hosting a blood drive and to sign up, visit RedCrossBlood.org/HostADrive. Blood drive partners who host a drive between Dec. 20 and Jan. 6 will receive long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirts for all who come to give and if the partner achieves its donation goal, it will be recognized in a newspaper highlighting its lifesaving work.

A Red Cross representative works with the host and provides planning assistance, tools to help recruit blood donors, equipment and supplies, and the trained staff needed to screen donors and collect donations. To host a blood drive you need a large, open location, volunteers to support donor recruitment and volunteers to schedule blood donors. The Red Cross said that more than  80 percent of blood donations are made at blood drives hosted by volunteers.

Upcoming blood drives

Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018
University of Illinois Campus Recreation

201 E. Peabody Dr.
Champaign, IL 61820
10:00 AM – 03:00 PM             

Tuesday, December 4, 2018
University of Illinois Armory
505 E Armory Ave
Champaign, IL 61820
12:00 PM – 04:00 PM             

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[pdf-embedder url=”https://sjodaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018OctAgenda-1.pdf” title=”2018OctAgenda (1)”]

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Whether you are looking to just stare at the magnificent display or feel the leaves crunch beneath your feet, Illinois has several stops that won’t disappoint.

With fields to the north, south, east and west, some of East Central Illinois’ best fall foliage viewing is provided by the vast forests of the Champaign County Forest Preserve.

Near St. Joe

Homer Lake Forest Preserve
Getting up early in the morning to see the fall foliage and watch the steam rise off of Homer Lake will put anyone in the mood for the change of the seasons. With 892 acres for hiking, picnicking, boating and fishing, Homer Lake Forest Preserve is the perfect spot to lay summer to rest.
And being a dark sky destination, viewing the fall sky has never looked better in East Central Illinois.

Kickapoo State Recreation Area
Once stark surface mined banks are now covered with a forest of cottonwood, haw, ash and wild cherry trees. A bottomland forest of sycamores and silver maples and upland timbers of stately oaks, hickories, beeches, sugar maples and dogwoods are an endless source of fascination for nature lovers and habitat for a wide variety of wildlife. The variety, number and mix of hardwood species present in Kickapoo’s upland and bottomland forests translate into a firestorm of fall color each autumn.

Around Illinois

Lake of the Woods, Illinois
HI-Tower
Want to see the fall colors from above the treeline? Climb the six-story bell tower at the Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve. You’ll get a 360-degree view of one of earth’s greatest shows.

Hiking and Biking Trails
There’s so much to see in the fall. And the Champaign County Forest Preserve’s paved trails allow persons of all ages and abilities access to nature’s glory. For those who are more adventurous, offshoots of the paved paths will take hikers along the Sangamon River and through the tall prairie grass.

Sangamon River Forest Preserve and Riverbend Forest Preserve
Watching the fall sunset dance across the water at the Riverbend Forest Preserve is a favorite pastime of those looking for a relaxing evening in the Mahomet area. Hikers also enjoy the sound of leaves under their feet as they journey down paths near the Sangamon River at the Sangamon River Forest Preserve and the Riverbend Forest Preserve. But don’t forget to venture outside the forest into the fall prairie grass. You may hear a pheasant or a wild turkey nearby!

Allerton Park and Retreat Center
An East Central Illinois favorite any time of the year, Allerton Park offers over 1,500 acres of forest, statues and gardens that will make you feel like you’re in a different land. With the Allerton Mansion and over 14-miles of hiking trails along the Sangamon River, every visitor is certain to find their perfect fall experience.
Sangamon Park
You’d miss it if you didn’t know it’s there, but Sangamon Park, located on N 1450 East Road near Mansfield, is the perfect spot to escape the world, if only for a few minutes, to hike amongst the trees and take in the Sangamon River from above.

Meadowbrook Park and Busey Woods
Want to stay in Champaign-Urbana? Meadowbrook Park and Busey Woods will provide that fall nature experience you’re looking for without the drive.

The Morton Arboretum
1,700 acres filled with hundreds of thousands of trees from 40 countries makes the Morton Arboretum a must-stop family destination each fall.
With activities like the Troll Hunt, Glass Pumpkin Patch, Tram Rides, Walking Plays, Family Jack O’ Lantern Hikes, the Scarecrow Trail and a Fall Color Festival, the Morton Arboretum provides weekend fun for every visitor.

Starved Rock and Matthissen State Park
Canyons, streams and prairie with access to lookout points over the Illinois River, Starved Rock and its sister park, Matthiessen State Park is a hidden gem amongst the corn and soybean fields in Central Illinois.
On October 20, visitors can join others who want to learn about tree identification, how the leaves change colors and the history and geology of Starved Rock during a free guided hike to see the spectacular colors of Fall. Hikes leave the State Park’s Visitor Center at 10am.

Shawnee National Forest
An abundance of trees between the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers draws visitors to Shawnee National Forest year-after-year to view the display of orange, yellow, red and brown from underneath and above the treeline.
As if that’s not enough to see, the park also contains bald eagles, waterfalls, a sand cave, Little Grand Canyon, Heron Pond and breathtaking rock formations in the Garden of the Gods.

The Great River Road
As the warm summer months turn cool, and the fields lose their moisture, the Mississippi River calls to visitors with a brilliant display of fall colors.
Whether you’re looking to take a cruise down the Mississippi River to experience the grand display, to hop from town to town, sampling quaint restaurants and antique shops or to hike through sacred Native American spaces, a trip down the Great River Road will leave you wanting to return for more.

Not too far away in Indiana….
Just to the east of the flat fields on Illinois lies Indiana, with plenty of corn and soybean fields, but also blessed with hills.

Just over the Illinois/Indiana border, it’s not difficult to find a spot where you can view the canopy for fall foliage.

Battle Ground, Ind
One of the best-kept secrets of Lafayette is Battle Ground Indiana, where you can not only learn about American history, but you can also watch the soft afternoon light shimmer through the yellow Poplar trees. Whether you climb Prophets Rock, located on Prophets Rock Road, visit Prophetstown State Park or walk through the Tippecanoe Battlefield Memorial (which is actually the best place to go for fall foliage), Battle Ground, Indiana will provide you with an experience you won’t forget.

Eagle Creek State Nature Preserve
Located on the east side of Indianapolis, Eagle Creek State Park is the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle. Whether you’re looking for a stroll around the lake, to sit and watch the birds from the Bird Sanctuary or are interested in climbing among the leaves through a zip line experience, there’s something for everyone to do during the day at Eagle Creek State Park.

Turkey Run and Shades state parks
A hiker’s paradise, Turkey Run State Park does not disappoint. Especially in the fall. Spend hours with your friends and family on trails that take you through sandstone cliffs and creeks as you look up at the warm colors above.
And while you’re in Parke County, take a gander through the country roads to view one of the 31 covered bridges throughout the county!

Brown County State Park
Everything about Brown County says fall. From antique shops, to 16,000 acres that includes hiking trails, lookout points, scenic drives and horseback riding tours, Brown County is where visitors go to get up close and personal with fall.

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Decatur, IL – In recognition of State Sen. Chapin Rose’s (R-Mahomet) “special contributions in the defense of free enterprise, and the furtherance of economic opportunities for Illinoisans,” the Illinois Chamber of Commerce announced that Rose received their Champion of Free Enterprise Award for 2017-2018. Rose was presented the award at the Decatur Chamber Business Breakfast Oct. 3.

“Government regulation is simply killing business and the jobs that come with it in our nation and our state,” Rose said. “I work in Springfield to try and cut the ‘red tape’ for our local job creators. To be recognized in Decatur today by our local men and women of the Decatur and State Chamber is extremely humbling. Small businesses are the nation’s number one jobs creators and to be recognized for ‘having their back’ in Springfield means a lot to me personally.”

According to the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Rose was one of several lawmakers to receive the award due to his “commitment to legislation that frees the entrepreneurial spirit.”

“Our Chamber is a pro-business network that provides service, political advocacy, and leadership to strengthen education, community image, and local business,” said Mirinda Rothrock, President of The Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce. “Senator Rose has aligned with Chamber goals to improve the economic vitality of the State of Illinois, and we are pleased to see him recognized for his efforts.”

“The Chamber’s Legislative Ratings lets Illinois families, small businesses, and taxpayers know if legislators voted in favor of private sector job creation and a stronger economy,” said Todd Maisch, President and CEO, Illinois Chamber of Commerce.  “While most Illinois lawmakers continue to provide lip service to the need for pro-growth reforms, Sen. Rose is committed to supporting and defending Illinois employers throughout the State.”

The ratings are based on legislators’ votes on the key business legislation of the 100^th General Assembly as determined by staff and the Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee.

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The regulation being implemented for the 2018-19 archery deer season establishes a Restricted Archery Zone consisting of Champaign, Douglas, Macon, Moultrie and Piatt counties.  Hunters in those counties may only take antlered deer from October 1 through October 15.  Antlered deer are deer that have at least one antler that is three or more inches in length.

The IDNR established the Restricted Archery Zone through an amendment to the Illinois archery deer hunting regulations (17 Illinois Administrative Code 670) that was approved this week by the Illinois General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR):

“The Illinois Restricted Archery Zone shall consist of Champaign, Douglas, Macon, Moultrie and Piatt counties. During the period October 1 – October 15, only antlered deer may be harvested in the Restricted Archery Zone, regardless of permits in possession. An antlered deer is defined as a deer having at least one antler of a length of 3 or more inches.”

Deer population levels in the five east-central Illinois counties are below currently-adopted county goals in the region.  Similar harvest restrictions for archery deer hunters during the late 1990s and early 2000s were effective in boosting the size of the deer herd in east-central Illinois.

In addition to the Restricted Archery Zone requirements, public land hunters in Piatt County should note that the IDNR Piatt County Unit of Weldon Springs State Park will be closed to all archery deer hunting from October 1-15.  The site has a regulation requiring the taking of antlerless deer prior to the taking of antlered deer. As a result, the Weldon Springs Piatt County Unit will open for archery deer hunting on October 16.

The 2018-19 Illinois Archery Deer Season dates are October 1, 2018 to January 20, 2019.  For more information on deer hunting in Illinois, check the IDNR website at   https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/Pages/DeerHunting.aspx .

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IDOT recently completed a speed study on I-74 and I-57 in the Champaign-Urbana area and concluded that given the current prevailing speeds, crash rates and number of interchanges, a reduction of the posted speed limit on I-74 was justified. The study also showed that the current posted speed limit of 70 mph on I-57 is correct.

IDOT routinely reviews all state-maintained routes to determine whether any low-cost safety improvements can be made, including speed limits, striping, signal timing and roadside hazards.

Speed is a significant factor in the severity of every crash, and the interaction between higher speed through traffic on an interstate with lower-speed traffic entering or exiting at interchanges was shown to be an issue. Reducing the speed limit of through traffic to closer to that of traffic
from interchanges gives drivers more time to react, thereby reducing the severity of a crash or avoiding one altogether.

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