Bobcats Go Away

Another interesting point to come out of last night's presentation by the Public Policy Institute was that a majority of southern Illinois residents favor the  legalization of hunting of bobcats that passed last year. Nearly extinct in the state 50 years ago, the bobcat population has rebounded to the point that they are found throughout the state.

Paul Simon Public Policy Institute Survey Presentation

Caught the Paul Simon Public Policy Center's survey presentation at the Varsity Center for the Arts tonight. I got a round count of just about 100 people with the vast majority of them sporting a silver head of hair.  You can catch the full presentation on the Center's website but a couple of interesting takeaways.

Illinois as a whole has grown more liberal over the past 10 years or so with increased numbers approving of medicinal and recreational marijuana and abortion, both with restrictions and without. The attitude showing the greatest change owe was that of gay marriage, which went from less than a 30% approval rating to well over 80% of the state approving either marriage or civil unions, in less than 10 years.

Just under half of use want to cut any state programs to balance the budget, with public pensions the largest target, but still only 49% of respondents wanted to cut them. More popular was raising revenue, with 75% opting for a millionaires tax and lesser percentages opting for other methods such as a graduated income tax or increasing the gas tax. We like our programs, we just want someone else to pay for them.

1000 people were surveyed, with a margin of error of about 3.1%

Koppers Site

For those keeping up with what is going on at the old Koppers wood treating site, there apparrently has been little movement on the Bright Fields project. Here is the latest report on the cleanup:

Status Report – February 2016 Former Koppers Wood-Treating Site Carbondale, Illinois Page: 2/2 Items Performed/Completed Since Previous Report:
• During the week of February 1, 2016, FTS conducted the first 2016 semiannual RCRA groundwater monitoring event (reflecting the recently revised/approved GMP). •

On February 12, 2016, Arcadis submitted to USEPA a Groundwater Monitoring Network Modifications Report, which summarized groundwater monitoring network modifications completed at the Site, and presented the analytical results for soil samples collected during drilling for certain of the new monitoring wells along the southern property boundary of the Site. USEPA issued a letter approving the report on February 18, 2016. •

 On February 26, 2016, FTS submitted to USEPA the 2015 Annual RCRA Groundwater Monitoring Report. • Beazer, USEPA and others participated in a corrective action coordination conference call on February 18, 2016.
• Beazer continued post-construction OMM activities (e.g., DNAPL thickness measurements/removal, CAMU leachate monitoring/removal, Site inspections, etc.). DNAPL removal volumes are summarized as follows: RW-23 South Trench Sump North Trench Sump February 2016 Total (gal): 48 99 0 Cumulative Total (gal): 8,046 19,503 655

 Items Anticipated to be Performed/Completed over the Next One to Two Months:
• Beazer, USEPA and others will continue to participate in corrective action coordination conference calls, including specific calls to discuss the ecological risk-based remedy, the sediment MNR scope of work/fish consumption advisory, and institutional controls.
• Beazer will propose an approach for evaluating trends in visual observations that could be used to assess the proposed probing/reconnaissance portion of the MNR program.

Items Anticipated to be Performed/Completed over the Next Two to Six Months
: • Beazer will continue to advance proposed future Site uses, including conservation land use and commercial solar energy.
• USEPA will conduct a public meeting in Carbondale. Items that May Cause Delay in Implementing Future Activities 

Impersonating a Peace Officer

This is a new one for Carbondale and not the sharpest knife in the drawer either.

Pag's Hit By Car

A car pulling out  at a high rate of speed from the First Mid-American lot across the street failed to make the turn and smashed into the front of Pagliai's this afternoon. Same thing happened back in March of 2012. I would think it would be rather hard for a car to run into the Pag's building but apparently not if you are pulling out from Chris Wissmann Way.

LAB Meeting

The Liquor Advisory Board meets March 3 to consider the application of Carbondale Community Arts for a liquor license for their location on West Walnut. Better be careful or the next thing they will be wanting to do is to add video gaming to the facility. We do  still have quite a ways to go in order to catch up with Mount Vernon.

Application for a Class J Liquor License (All alcoholic liquor for consumption on premises - not for profit public arts venue) for Carbondale Community Arts Inc. at 304 West Walnut St. 

Southern Monday

Saw a notice on the front page of the Southern Illinoisan that, at the end of March, the paper would no longer publish a Monday print edition. I knew that weekend news was sparse but didn't realize it was that lacking. Apparently, not only is there a lack of news but also a lack of advertiser interest in the Monday paper as well.