Month: January 2011

Let’s be careful out there

Posted by mhopf – January 31, 2011

Hopefully no one has to travel during the next few days, since we are expected to be deluged with snow.

I drove to my sister’s house in Joliet during the Christmas Eve snowstorm, a drive that is about 4.5 hours on a normal day. Instead, it took more than seven hours.

Anyone who has to drive some distance should make sure to check road conditions from the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Missouri Department of Transportation.

The maps won’t tell you what every road is like, but if interstate highways are snow and ice covered, you can expect most of the roads in the area to be covered.

So drive safe and hopefully we will get less snow than was predicted.

Court ruling could hinder projects in area

Posted by mhopf – January 26, 2011

It will be interesting to see what happens after an Illinois appellate court declared the $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now! program violated the single subject rule. An appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court is guaranteed.

Opinion from the appellate court

The city of Quincy was awarded $6 million last summer to construct a multi-faceted transportation center, as part of $500 million in public transit projects.

The $6 million was part of a bigger lump sum of money instead of being allocated right away like other projects. Construction of the transportation center isn’t going to begin in the near future, but the city will have to consider if the Supreme Court upholds the appellate court ruling. Lawmakers will also have to figure out how to finance the bonds for the capital plan.

Some of the other area projects that were listed in the capital bill were:

• $73.5 million for the reconstruction of U.S. 34 from Gulfport to Monmouth to a four-lane facility.
• $70 million towards engineering and construction for the IL 336 bypass of Macomb.
• $33.5 million towars the construction of railroad overpasses on U.S. 150 and Seminary Street in Galesburg.
• $67 million to Western Illinois University to construct a performing arts center.
• $5.4 million for a central chiller at the Quincy Veterans’ Home
• $1.1 million to start renovation of three buildings at the Quincy Veterans’ Home

Letter of support for air service anticipated by month’s end

Posted by mhopf – January 19, 2011

Quincy Mayor John Spring said he hoped to send a letter of support for one of the airlines by the end of the month as bids to provide air service to the Quincy Regional Airport were submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation by current air service provider Cape Air and St. Louis based Air Choice One.

“I’ll publicly say that I’m extremely high on Cape Air, but I will certainly listen to any proposals that are good for our community and good for the region,” he said. “But I do have to say that Cape Air has exceeded all expectations.”

The comment period for the proposals ends Feb. 14., and the Department of Transportation is expected to award the service 30-60 days later.

Cape Air has proposed continuing service to St. Louis, and has asked for a four-year contract. The airline offered two proposals, one offering 36 round trips to St. Louis and the other offering 42, which would mean six round-trip flights daily. Currently only three are offered on Saturday and Sunday.

Air Choice One has proposed three options for a two-year air service contract to Quincy. One would provide 36 round trips per week — 18 to St. Louis and 18 to Chicago. The other two would provide 36 round trips to either Chicago or St. Louis.

Air Choice One proposal submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation

Cape Air proposal submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation

Request for proposals from the U.S. Department of Transportation

Spring heading to Washington for U.S. Conference of Mayors

Posted by mhopf – January 17, 2011

Quincy Mayor John Spring will not be at the City Council this week because he will be attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors through Friday in Washington, D.C.

Mayors attending the conference are scheduled to meet with President Barack Obama Friday morning.

“We’ll have an opportunity to hear from him and maybe get a chance to talk to him a little bit,” Spring said.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of more than 30,000.

Much of the discussion in the meeting center on joblessness in U.S. cities and the need for job creation, according to the conference. Featured speakers will include members of the Cabinet, the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate.

Spring has attended the winter meeting annually, except last year when he was undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. One of the highlights of the conference is expected to be the presentation of the Distinguished Public Service Award to Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who is retiring after serving 22 years in the post.

Also speaking will be Tucson (Ariz.) Mayor Robert Walkup, less than two weeks after a shooting outside a Tucson grocery store killed six people and wounded 12, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

McLaughlin, Spring summarize area projects at GREDF meeting

Posted by mhopf – January 13, 2011

Both Adams County Chairman Mike McLaughlin and Quincy Mayor John Spring spoke at the Great River Economic Development Foundation annual meeting Wednesday night.

McLaughlin read a joint statement from Acciona Energy North America and Global Winds Harvest. Acciona is pulling out of the proposed Prairie Mills Wind Farm project, because its “resources are currently focused on expanding in other regional markets.” Global Winds is continuing to move forward on the project, which has been proposed in the Camp Point, Clayton and Golden area.

Spring reiterated that the city would continue its pursuit of hydropower on the Mississippi River and also the pursuit to build a new transportation center for Amtrak, Quincy Transit Lines, intercity buses and taxi cab service.

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GREDF’s new website launches

Posted by mhopf – January 12, 2011

The Great River Economic Development Foundation new website launched late Wednesday afternoon. The organization previously said it would launch at 5 p.m.

The new site looks better than the old site, and GREDF looks to make use of more social media such as Twitter and YouTube.

GREDF’s annual meeting is tonight.

The new website

The previous website.