From press release

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to prohibit the transfer of the GITMO terrorists into the United States, scuttling the administration’s plan to close GITMO and move the terrorists to the state-owned Thomson Correctional Center in northwest Illinois.

An amendment to the Department of Defense (DOD) authorization bill passed 282-131, with 114 Democrats joining 168 Republicans in approving the amendment that would prohibit the administration from bringing any GITMO terrorists into the United States.

“Today’s overwhelmingly bipartisan vote reaffirms Congress’ strong opposition to moving the GITMO terrorists inside the United States, and it basically scuttles the president’s plan to move the terrorists to northwest Illinois,” Manzullo said. “This is what I expected when the administration first announced the plan last November to bring the GITMO terrorists to Thomson and why I fought to separate the terrorist element from the legitimate plan to open Thomson as a stand-alone federal prison without the terrorists. I was concerned the controversial GITMO side of the plan would swamp our efforts to open it as a federal prison and create much-needed jobs for the people of northwest Illinois. I was relieved when I received a letter back from the administration in March stating they planned to purchase and open Thomson as a federal prison, even if they could not get authorization from Congress to move the GITMO terrorists there.

“With today’s devastating vote against moving the terrorists, I again call on the president to proceed with purchasing Thomson and fully utilizing it as a federal prison without the terrorists.”

In a letter to President Barack Obama earlier this week, Manzullo said another 750 maximum security federal inmates could be incarcerated at Thomson if the administration allowed the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to use the three pods (200 cells in each pod) set aside for GITMO terrorists. The BOP is planning to house 1,800 maximum security federal inmates in the other five pods at Thomson, and would welcome the additional space.

“Housing an extra 750 federal prisoners at Thomson would create more civilian job opportunities while further reducing the current 52 percent overcrowding in the federal prison system’s maximum security division,” Manzullo said. “I strongly urge the president to fully utilize Thomson as a federal prison without the terrorists.”

• News and notes from the May 27 Winnebago County Board meeting

By Stuart R. Wahlin
Staff Writer

In honor of Memorial Day, the Winnebago County Board held its May 27 meeting at Veteran's Memorial Hall.

At the urging of majority leader Frank Gambino (R-14), Winnebago County Board members voted 15-11 to send back to committee a budget amendment related to the salary and health benefits for the Law Enforcement Aviation Coalition’s (LEAC) chief pilot position, which is held by former board member Randy Olson (R), who stepped down in November to accept the $102,500 job for which he’d served five years in a voluntary capacity.

Last October, the board agreed, at LEAC’s request, that half of its $90,000 support for the program, which comes from federal grant dollars, could be used toward the chief pilot position. LEAC explained the demand for the service created a need for a full-time pilot, rather than depending on a volunteer.

Because Olson’s paychecks and benefits now come from the county, he could no longer retain his board seat. Lynne Strathman (R-1) was appointed as his successor.

In 2006, the board was asked for a “one-time” gift of $100,000 to support LEAC, which has returned each subsequent year asking for more gifts.

“It was sold to us as a one-time thing,” Gambino noted. “It was also sold to us that this was a voluntary position.”

Referring to cuts made across all departments, Gambino moved to send the matter back to committee, adding, “The operation is not, at this point in time, a necessity within our county budget, as much as we need more funds to support what we have to—and are mandated by our statutes—to provide for the citizens of Winnebago County.”

Finance Committee Chairman Tom Owens (R-1), however, noted the $25,000 in question had already been set aside in the budget, and that the amendment would simply shift the dollars from one fund to another. The transfer would shift $25,000 from “regular salaries” to “other professional services.” Owens also noted the county would see a return on its investment through proceeds from property confiscated by the LEAC operation.

Gambino was unrelenting, however.

“We can play the shell game all we want,” he said. “The bottom line is…we’ve created a position I don’t think we intended to. At this time, we can’t grow our government. We have to continue to shrink our government and provide the necessities, not luxuries.”

Gambino’s motion to send the amendment back to committee prevailed. Doug Aurand (D-3), Isidro Barrios (D-11), George Anne Duckett (D-12), Carolyn Gardner (D-9), Bob Hastings (D-13), Kay Mullins (R-8), Owens, Mel Paris (D-8), Dianne Parvin (R-4), Strathman and David Tassoni (D-7) voted “no.”

Ordinance

• Amending the county’s policy regarding the collection of fines for code enforcement, whereby, at the discretion of county leaders, compromises may be reached to settle such cases for a sum less than the amount of the unpaid fine or lien.

Resolutions

• Freezing the pay for the sheriff, clerk and treasurer at their current salaries of $114,395, $81,868 and $81,868, respectively, throughNov. 30, 2014. Despite talk during the May 13 meeting to reduce the base pay for board members to be elected in November, and to dock pay from those with poor committee attendance, the only compensation omitted from the resolution was the $1,000 bonus historically paid to committee chairmen. Board members make a base salary of $5,000 per year, plus $2,500 in per diem pay if they miss nomore than three meetings. Each absence in excess of three will result in $100 deducted from per diem allowances.

• Settling claims against the county by Sonia Medrano in the amount of $28,500 in order to avert an action pending before the state’s Human Rights Commission.

• Authorizing a $307,224.65 change order resulting from a net costdecrease related to the East Riverside Development Project.

• Authorizing an intergovernmental agreement with the state Toll Highway Authority for the installation of a $572,000 noise-abatement wall between I-90 and the Emerald Ridge subdivision in Roscoe.

• Authorizing the transfer of property on Alpine Road, betweenHarrison Avenue and the Union Pacific tracks, to the City of Rockford for the sum of $1.

• Authorizing the sale of property at the southeast corner of West State Street and Springfield Avenue to Jackie Brengle for $4,500 plus closing costs.

• Authorizing $91,162 for Hanson Professional Services, Inc. to designand engineer rehabilitation of the Cunningham Road bridge over the south branch of Keith Creek.

• Authorizing an intergovernmental agreement with the Village of Machesney Park for construction and maintenance of sidewalks along Ralston Road. Per the agreement, the county is permitting thatsidewalks be constructed by the village within the county road’s right-of-way.

• Authorizing an agreement with the City of Rockford to lease office space for its energy division in the county’s recently-acquired building at 555 N. Court St. The total rent, through May 31, 2015, is $494,263.50. Additionally, the city will pay $8,400 annually forjanitorial services.

• Awarding a proposal for an inmate commissary to Swanson Services Corporation, of Madison, Wis. On a related note, the board also awarded a proposal for inmate telecommunication service to Public Communications Services, Inc., of Los Angeles, Calif. According to the proposal, the new system would generate revenue of at least$500,000 per year.

• Authorizing an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Rockford to jointly apply for up to $313,355 in Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant funds. Per the agreement, the city would receive 60 percent of the grant, and the county would receive the remainder.

• Authorizing an intergovernmental grant agreement with the IllinoisEmergency Management Agency (IEMA), whereby the county will receive up to $12,000 in grant funds for nuclear accident preparedness.

• Authorizing the emergency outsourcing of laundry services for River Bluff Nursing Home, which suffered a fire in its laundry room in April. Superior Health Linens, of Madison, Wis., will provide laundryservices.

• Awarding bids for undergarments, under-pads and pull-ups to McKesson Medical-Surgical, of Golden Valley, Minn., Medline, of St. Charles, and Seneca Medical Inc., of Tiffin, Ohio.

Public comments

Tana Vettore encouraged the community to donate money and time to Rockford Sharefest’s June 18-26 school makeover efforts. For more information, visit www.RockfordSharefest.com.

Absences

Dave Fiduccia (R-4) and Bob Kinnison (R-10) were absent.

From press release

BELVEDERE, Ill.—The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited NDK Crystals Inc. in Belvedere with fines of $510,000 for alleged egregious willful and serious violations of federal workplace safety standards following an explosion at the company’s crystal manufacturing building that took the life of a truck driver parked at a nearby service station. Workers at this facility were exposed to hazards that created a dangerous environment.

“The employer knowingly operated high-pressure vessels even after being warned of the potential for a catastrophic failure due to material design and fabrication defects,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. “This simply is unacceptable, and OSHA will use the full extent of the law to ensure the company is held accountable for its actions.”

Following its investigation, OSHA cited NDK Crystals with seven willful and five serious violations. The willful violations, one for each of seven individual high-pressure vessels, involved the company’s continued operation of these high-quality quartz production vessels, even though it knew the vessels were susceptible to explosion and catastrophic failure as a result of defective design and fabrication. Willful violations are those committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for legal requirements, or plain indifference to employee safety and health.

The serious violations include failing to evaluate the building for a catastrophic event; failing to have an emergency evacuation program; failing to implement a hazard communication program; and a lack of personal protective equipment assessment and training certification. An OSHA violation is serious if death or serious physical harm can result from a hazard an employer knew or should have known exists.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. To report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-6742.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

From press release

Veterans Memorial Hall, 211 N. Main St., invites the public to an open house from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Memorial Day, Monday, May 31. Stop by and honor the veterans of Winnebago, view current displays and participate in family activities.

Throughout the morning vintage footage will be presented from a lost roll of film of The American Legion’s Walter Craig Post 60 activities during the early 1950s. Footage includes the 1952 Rockford Memorial Day Parade, Post 60 Legion picnic and many other activities the post was involved in. Also included is never-before-seen footage of the 1954 state encampment of the American Legion held in Chicago.

The hall would like to hear from anyone who might have had a family member who was a member of American Legion Post 60 in the 1950s. The goal is to identify as many people in the footage as possible.

For more information, e-mail info@veteransmemorialhall.com or call (815) 969-1999.

From press release

A Memorial Day Observance is being held to honor deceased military service personnel who attended Rockford High School, Rockford West High School and West Middle School.

The observance takes place at 11 a.m., Monday, May 31, at the Memorial Garden at West Middle School.

Colors will be presented by the Rockford Police Department, and remarks will be offered by Norbert Sargent, a former ROTC instructor at West High School.

From press release

LOVES PARK, Ill.—Saturday, May 29, is a NASCAR Hometown Night for ZIP codes 61072, 61073 and 61080. Residents of Rockton, Roscoe and South Beloit can receive two-for-one on adult admission with proof of residency this weekend at Rockford Speedway.

This Saturday’s Cost Cutter Racing in 3-D Night will include the Stanley Steemer NASCAR Late Models, Bargain Hunter Sportsmen, Budweiser American Short Trackers, Mtn Dew RoadRunners, plus the Spin to Win, and Roll Over Contest. The first 1,000 spectators will also receive free 3-D glasses.

The Late Model action will be intense with South Beloit’s very own Tim Sargent, the current points leader of the weekly points as well as in the Stateline Staffing Services Dash points, will be defending his position against Rockton’s Ricky Bilderback, currently second in both the weekly points and dash points. Both Sargent and Bilderback will be fighting off Roscoe’s Jerry Gille and Kyle Shear. Gille, the two-time defending track champion, is currently sixth in the weekly points and fourth in the dash points, while Shear is 10th in weekly points and sixth in dash points.

In the Sportsman division, Roscoe’s Austin Nason and South Beloit’s Brock Behnke will be battling it out to stay in the top 10 in weekly points. South Beloit also has Howie Ware and Dennis Smith Jr. competing against one another in the RoadRunner division. Ware is currently third in the weekly points and first in dash points, while Smith Jr. is fourth in weekly points as well as in dash points.

Racing action begins at 7:07 p.m. Regular adult admission is $10; $5 for children ages 6-11; and free for children 5 and younger. For more information about the NASCAR Hometown Nights or any 2010 season event, visit www.rockfordspeedway.com or call the Speedway Box Office at (815) 633-1500.

From press release

2010 Rockford CROP Walk Chairman will be the Rev. David Jones from First Presbyterian Church, Rockford, who’s led the walk successfully for the last two years.

Stanley Campbell, director of Rockford Urban Ministries, returns as media chairman and Jan Marlow returns as treasurer. Margaret Rhoads, lay member of Court Street United Methodist, is the new secretary.

New members of the committee include Lora and Donovan McClelland, Patrick Steva, Susan Williams, the Rev. Ken Storck of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church and the Rev. Doug Bowden from Beth Eden United Methodist Church.

The CROP Hunger Walk raises money for local food pantries and worldwide hunger relief through Church World Service. The CROP Hunger Walk is Sunday, Oct. 17.

This will be the 24th CROP Hunger Walk. Last year, the walk raised more than $33,000.

From press releases

U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo (R-16) announced he is hosting a supplier fair Wednesday, June 2, to help northern Illinois employers expand their business and create jobs by doing business with The Boeing Company, one of the world’s largest aerospace companies.

The free supplier fair will be from 8 to 10 a.m., Wednesday, June 2, at the Chicago/Rockford International Airport Administration Building, 60 Airport Drive, Rockford. Employers interested in attending the supplier fair and learning how to get contracts with Boeing should RSVP to Bryan Davis at (815) 394-1231 or bryan.davis@mail.house.gov.

Manzullo joins ‘America Speaking Out’ effort

Manzullo joined his Republican colleagues in a new initiative to reach out to Americans for their ideas to help create a new way forward for our country.

“America Speaking Out” will seek the ideas and priorities of all Americans—regardless of party affiliation—about how to return America to prosperity as well as their thoughts on fiscal responsibility, American values, national security and other issues. The ideas will be used by House Republicans to develop a new agenda for America that will be launched this summer.

Northern Illinois residents can visit http://manzullo.house.gov/americaspeakingout to post their ideas or comment about other suggestions. In addition, Manzullo will be seeking suggestions and ideas from northern Illinois residents during America Speaking Out citizen meetings he plans to host in northern Illinois this summer.

“Americans are frustrated with these difficult times and feel a huge disconnect with a Congress they believe is doing nothing to solve our problems,” Manzullo said. “America Speaking Out gives Americans a forum and a voice to share their concerns and their ideas to help our great country return to prosperity. I encourage the folks in northern Illinois to visit my Web page and join the discussion to restore our economy and help put Americans back to work.”

From press release

At the May 25 Rockford Park District Board meeting, commissioners approved an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the City of Rockford for the acquisition, construction of improvements, and maintenance for future development of Meadows of Spring Brook Park.

With this action, the board enters into an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Rockford and will move ahead with the purchase of 18 acres north of Spring Brook Drive for the amount of $50,000. The approval of this IGA allows for joint development of a storm water management facility and recreational park at the site, which serves the northeast quadrant of the city.

Park District Executive Director Tim Dimke said: “Acquiring this property allows future park development in one of our neighborhood park service gap areas. One of our most important priorities is to provide neighborhood parks within reasonable walking distance from most people’s homes. This partnership with the City of Rockford allows us to eventually develop a park that will meet the neighborhood’s needs.”

In 2008, Park District staff was contacted by Rockford Ald. Carl Wasco (D-4) to discuss an 18.5-acre parcel of property on Springwheat Road for a potential neighborhood park. Staff met with the property owner, Commercial Mortgage & Finance (CMF), and staff from the City of Rockford to determine feasibility of a park at that site. CMF had limited interest in donating land for development of a neighborhood park and had contemplated platting a portion of the property closest to Springwheat Road for residential development.

The City of Rockford expressed interest in jointly acquiring the property with the Park District for regional storm water detention and a park. The city is interested in restoring the creek and riparian area as a part of its project. The city and the Park District would equally share the $100,000 cost for acquisition.

Park District staff intends to apply for an IDNR-OSLAD development grant to help fund future development of the park. Approximately three to five single-family lots have been reserved, and will be declared surplus property. The proceeds from the sale of these lots would be equally split with the city, and the Park District could use this money as the local match for an IDNR-OSLAD development grant.

Park District Board President Jack Armstrong said: “It is important for us to continually seek collaborative partnerships, and this project allows both the City of Rockford and the Rockford Park District to achieve our goals more effectively and efficiently, and improves the quality of life for our citizens.”

Rockford City Council approved the intergovernmental agreement May 17.

Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens receives additional donations

The Rockford Park District Board of Commissioners granted naming opportunity proposals from the following company and family to be permanently named in honor of these donors:

• The Green Roof Garden of the Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens be named in recognition of Aqua-Aerobic Systems, Inc., and its significant pledge of $100,000; and

• The Photo Opportunity Wall of the Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens be named in memory of Elmer Olson and his family’s significant pledge of $50,000.

The Board of Commissioners previously approved a gift recognition plan for Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens that permitted permanent naming opportunities in relation to a specified gift amount with a donor’s name in specified areas of the facility and grounds. The donors above have made such a pledge and/or gift, for which the Rockford Park District and Rockford Park District Foundation are deeply grateful.

Magic Waters receives Ellis & Associates Platinum Award

May 25, the Rockford Park District Board of Commissioners was presented with the Ellis & Associates Platinum Award from Jessica Steinberg, director of Magic Waters and Aquatics, on behalf of the waterpark’s lifeguard team.

In September of 2009, professional lifeguard agency Jeff Ellis & Associates informed the Rockford Park District that the lifeguard team of Magic Waters had achieved a score of “Exceeds” on three separate audits conducted throughout the summer that achieved Platinum Level status. Less then 10 percent of Ellis & Associates clients worldwide achieve this prestigious honor. This is the first Platinum Award the waterpark has received in more than a decade. The lifeguards and management team of Magic Waters were audited in five different categories:

1. Live action mock scenarios

2. Individual silent audits

3. Management

4. Administration

5. VAT (Vigilance Awareness Test)

The Platinum Award signifies a perfect score on all five categories each time auditors visited the facility. On average, Magic Waters Waterpark conducts 300 water rescues throughout the summer season. Jessica Steinberg, director of Magic Waters and Aquatics, and Zack McIntyre, operations manager, were on hand along with the district’s lifeguard team to present the board with the coveted 2009 Ellis & Associates Platinum Award.

Park District police officer recognized for Police Memorial Week service

At the May 25 Rockford Park District Board meeting, Rockford Park District Police Community Service Officer Lisa Hodges was presented with a plaque recognizing her years of dedication to Northern Illinois Police Memorial Week. The plaque was presented by Jim Falzone, retired Winnebago County deputy and a member of the Northern Illinois Police Memorial Week (NIPMW) Executive Board.

Each year, the NIPMW committee honors a committee member who they believe has contributed above and beyond in time, effort, and talent to coordinate activities in honor of Police Week. The committee is composed of 23 members representing various law enforcement agencies in Winnebago, Boone and Ogle counties.

The week in which May 15 falls is designated as National Police Memorial Week, a time to reflect upon and honor the memory of law enforcement officers who have been slain in the line of duty. NIPMW schedules a variety of events around the stateline area to coincide with National Police Memorial Week, culminating in the multi-jurisdictional police agency displays set up at CherryVale Mall for the weekend of Police Memorial Week. Officer Lisa Hodges tirelessly participates in every scheduled event each year with unrivaled energy and enthusiasm. Officer Hodges works to reverently honor fallen officers as well as reach out to the public who visit the Rockford Park District Police display table at the annual event at the mall.

Mark Blassage took this photo May 24. (Photo by Mark Blassage)

From Natural Land Institute e-mail newsletter

May 12, from the overlook structure at the Nygren Wetland Preserve, Mike Descamps observed a sandhill crane chick with a pair of adults. A couple days later, he saw a second, smaller, yellow chick with the pair. His videos are posted on YouTube. This one shows the chicks at four days old; click here.

Lots of attention has been focused on our sandhill crane parents and their young. You can easily spot the parents on most days from the overlook area and, if you’re lucky, you will see their young. We must all be extra careful not to disturb the parents feeding as they are the source of protection and food for the young. Please observe from the overlook platform only.

NLI elects new board members

Kay Blair of Belvidere, Ruth Little of Rockford and Rich Muniz of Rockford have been elected to three-year terms on the Board of Trustees of the Natural Land Institute. Re-elected were Judith Barnard of Rockford, Mark Keister of Winslow, Mark Maffei of Roscoe and Daniel Williams of Rockford.

Kay Blair has lived in Boone County for 40 years and served on the Boone County Conservation District Board of Trustees for six years. Rich Muniz is a teacher at Maria Montessori School in the Rockford Public School system and is active in the Green Communities Coalition and Black Hawk Chapter of the Sierra Club. Ruth Little was executive director of the Rock River Valley Council of Girl Scouts for 30 years and served on the board of the Burpee Museum of Natural History for five years.

Trustees re-elected Judith Barnard to serve as president of the Natural Land Institute. They elected Dave Arnold to serve as vice president, Karen Blomgren as secretary and Tom Ptacin as treasurer.

Thank you to retiring board members Jay Evans and Sally Hoff for their years of service.

Conservation Day Camp 2010

No other camp is like the first-ever Conservation Day Camp. Participants will be exposed to abundant hands-on experiences, educational opportunities, and have fun every day.

Campers will leave at the end of the week having a well-rounded knowledge of opportunities in the conservation field and numerous practical experiences.

This five-day camp is set up to show off the highlights of local conservation organizations. Each day of the camp (see below) is run completely by staff from those organizations. The participants will be able to experience a variety of conservation topics all at one location, the Natural Land Institute’s beautiful Nygren Wetland Preserve.

Monday: Adventures in the Wetlands (Severson Dells Nature Center)

Tuesday: Ecosystems of Northern Illinois (Rockford Park District)

Wednesday: History of Agriculture, Soil ecology/Erosion (Soil and Water Conservation District) and Conservation Ethics/ Aldo Leopold (Pheasants Forever)

Thursday: Tools of the Trade/ Husqvarna safety class (Nicholson Lawn and Garden)

Friday: History of Natural Land Institute and the Nygren Wetland Preserve/Wildflower Weekend (Natural Land Institute)

For more information, contact Natural Land Institute at (815) 964-6666 or e-mail nli@aol.com.

If you write an essay about conservation and how it has impacted your life, your camp fee will be decreased $50. Essay must be completed and turned in before camp starts July 12; maximum two pages and minimum half-page.

Click here to download registration form.

From press release

Thousands of children around the globe will bob, float, flutter and kick their way into the record books by participating in The World’s Largest Swimming Lesson (WLSL) at 9 a.m., Thursday, June 3.

CoCo Key Water Resort in Rockford will be one of 175 aquatic facilities as far reaching as Zambia, Lebanon, Dubai and the USAG Humphreys in South Korea participating in the program to build awareness about the vital importance of teaching children to swim to help prevent drowning.

Anyone interested in participating can RSVP by leaving a message with Wendi Howard, director of Marketing at the Clock Tower Resort, at (815) 229-4551 or via e-mail to Wendi at wendi.howard@clocktowerresort.com.

A minimum of 25 participants must be pre-registered for Rockford to qualify as an official record-holder.

For more details about this event, visit the Web site for the WLSL at http://www.worldslargestswimminglesson.org/. You can also visit www.cocokeywaterresort.com/rockford.

Any child who participates in the WLSL can purchase a half-day admission to stay and play at CoCo Key for $3. Valid 10 a.m.-3 p.m. after “WLSL” Thursday, June 3.

CoCo Key Water Resort is the area’s only indoor water resort where it’s always 84 degrees. CoCo Key opened in 2007 at the newly-renovated Best Western Clock Tower Resort and Conference Center, 7801 E. State St., Rockford. Call (815) 398-6000.

From press release

WASHINGTON, D.C.—With Congress continuing to oppose moving GITMO terrorists inside the United States, U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo (R-16) recently called on President Barack Obama to purchase and utilize the vacant Thomson Correctional Center in northwest Illinois as a maximum security federal prison without the terrorists.

In a letter to President Obama, Manzullo said another 750 maximum security federal inmates could be incarcerated at the state-owned Thomson facility if the administration allowed the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to use the three pods (200 cells in each pod) set aside for GITMO terrorists. The BOP is planning to house 1,800 maximum security federal inmates in the other five pods at Thomson, and would welcome the additional space.

“Housing an extra 750 federal prisoners at Thomson would create more civilian job opportunities while further reducing the current 52 percent overcrowding in the federal prison system’s maximum security division,” Manzullo said. “It is my understanding that the federal prison population is expected to grow by 10,000 to 14,000 inmates over the next two years. This has become a critical safety issue that reduces the guard-to-prison ratio, and jeopardizes the security of our federal personnel who work in these facilities. I strongly urge the president to fully utilize Thomson as a federal prison without the terrorists.”

Manzullo’s letter to the president comes on the heels of another strong bipartisan vote in Congress this past week against bringing the GITMO terrorists into the United States. Thursday, May 20, the House Armed Services Committee voted 59-0 for the FY 2011 Defense Authorization bill (H.R. 5136) that includes the following language: “(t)he committee firmly believes that the construction or modification of any facility in the U.S. to detain or imprison individuals currently being held at Guantanamo must be accompanied by a thorough and comprehensive plan that outlines the merits, costs and risks associated with utilizing such a facility. No such plan has been presented to date.” As a result of this unanimous legislative action, even Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D) acknowledged to the Chicago Tribune Friday, May 21, it is less likely the GITMO terrorist detainees will come to Illinois.

Manzullo suspects the outrageous price tag of moving the GITMO terrorists to Thomson—$350 million—is also a driving force behind Congress’s opposition to the plan, along with concerns that moving GITMO to Thomson will simply transfer the threat and hatred to northwest Illinois.

“With this latest bipartisan vote in Congress, it is apparent the president will not get the Congressional support he needs to move the terrorists to Thomson,” Manzullo said. “I strongly urge him to free up the extra pods at the prison so we can house another 750 federal prison inmates and further reduce the extreme overcrowding in the federal maximum security system.”

• RAVE Board accepts Brian Luther’s plans to step down

From press release

May 21, the Rockford Area Venues and Entertainment (RAVE) Authority announced it has accepted the pending resignation of MetroCentre General Manager Brian Luther. Although he has not submitted his official 60-day notice to the board, Luther announced his plans to pursue other career opportunities, but will stay employed at the MetroCentre indefinitely.

“We regretfully accepted Brian’s plans to resign,” said RAVE Board Chairman Mike Dunn. “Brian is an extremely talented individual that has brought expertise in the entertainment industry to the arena. We have asked him to stay with us as long as possible to ensure the continued booking of quality shows for the community, and he has agreed.”

Luther joined the MetroCentre in 2002 as director of Events, and was promoted to assistant general manager in 2003. After former General Manager Corey Pearson resigned in 2009, Luther stepped in to fill his position and continued to book events for the arena and lead the organization. In February 2010, Luther was promoted to the general manager position.

“My career at the Rockford MetroCentre and the time I’ve spent living in the Rockford community has been a rewarding experience,” said Luther. “I’ve had the honor of leading a team of great individuals. The arena is moving in a great direction of the new RAVE Board, and I am confident that now is an appropriate time for me to make the next move in my career.”

For more information about the MetroCentre, log on to www.metrocentre.com.

From press release

Rockford Dance Company will offer an Adapted Dance Class for teens and adults with disabilities from 5:30 to 7:15 p.m., July 8-27.

The class is designed for teens and adults with physical disabilities to explore dance movements and the creation of an “Adapted Dance Company.”

The eight-week session will explore three different genres of dance, ballet, modern and jazz. Each class will conclude with a discussion to determine the participant’s likes and dislikes and future interests.

Call (815) 963-3341 to register.

The program is sponsored in part by the Rockford Park District.

Visit www.rockforddancecompany.com for more information.

Trudi Temple is an extraordinary gardener who transformed an ordinary one-acre yard into a show garden featuring twelve spectacular garden rooms, including a pond garden, a boulder garden and a hidden trail garden. The garden attracts hundreds of visitors each year. Visitors travel from out of state, from art and horticulture classes and from Chicago Botanic Garden and Morton Arboretum bus tours to study and enjoy Trudi’s garden. Trudi is also the founder of Market Day, a fundraising opportunity for schools, churches, and other non-profit organizations.

Trudi’s story is a rich guide for gardening and living and reflects the experiences of an extraordinary life.