No love for the North?

Cal Skinner writes at McHenry County Blog about two new bridges being built to cross over I-57 in Central Illinois — one near Mattoon and the other near Champaign.

Coles is a county that had an estimated 50,949 people in it as of 2006.

It has lost 2,247 people–4.2% of its population–since the U.S. Census in 2000.

But, it gets a new bridge.

The other overpass is being built in the Champaign area.

At least Champaign County has grown.

Its population is up 3.3% during the first six years of this decade. Up 6,013.

Not only is it getting a new overpass. It is getting an entire new cloverleaf.

Huntley can’t get half a cloverleaf on Route 47, but Champaign gets one of I-57.

Priorities, you know.

So, by comparison, what’s happened in our area …

McHenry grew by 20.1%. 53,296 more people lived here in 2006 than were here in 2000.

Kane increased its population by 89,616—a 22.2% increase.

And, local officials are saying we should finance this new bridge with tolls?! The Bolz Rd/Longmeadow Bridge/Parkway should be fully funded. The Western bypass in Algonquin should be fully funded.  In fact, a bridge crossing north of Rt 62 (Algonquin Rd) should have also been allocated and funded … in addition to a major branch of Interstate through this region, so that all the traffic doesn’t have to flood southward before it can head east.

Cal wraps up by spelling out the bottom line …

142,912 more people in McHenry and Kane Counties, but no new bridges financed by state government.

How pathetic.

Pathetic indeed!

Dangers of carbon monoxide hit home

Last weekend in Gary, IN., 3 people died from carbon monoxide emitted from a gas-powered generator they were using after power went out at their home from storms last Thursday.

On Tuesday, a homeowner and his family in Carpentersville could have also died when he fired up a gas-powered pump in the crawl space of his home to remove flood water.

“If this family had gone to bed with these high levels, a very tragic outcome most likely would have occurred,” [Carpentersville Fire Chief John] Schuldt said.

Now, the Village and other agencies are issuing reminder warnings about the deadly dangers of carbon monoxide.   On January 1st, a new law went into effect in Illinois requiring that homes have carbon monoxide detectors, within 15 feet of bedrooms.

One thing that neighbors might be able to do, especially in flooded areas or areas without power for extended periods, is to check up on each other.  Just go around and knock on doors and talk with each other about the flooding or power outage, and get a general feel about how everyone is coping/dealing with the issue.  If someone is thinking about a generator or gas-engine pump, perhaps offer help or remind them not to use it indoors.  That few minutes it takes to do that can be much better than seeing the ambulance and fire crews show up later to a dire situation.

Not to mention the fact that it will help make your neighborhood a friendlier place.