New minimum wage law kicks in

Published Jun 30, 2010
The Clinton Herald

By Andrew Mitchell
Herald Staff Writer

FULTON, Ill. — Many Illinois workers will find a little more money in their pockets starting Thursday.

The state’s minimum wage will be raised from $8 per hour to $8.25, a dollar more than neighboring Iowa, which keeps its minimum wage at the federal limit.

The increase comes with some political baggage, as Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady told reporters a higher minimum wage makes Illinois less competitive for businesses looking to create jobs in the state.

Brady had said, if elected, he would lower it to the federal minimum wage, $7.25. But he has since backed off from that idea after criticism from his opponent, Gov. Pat Quinn.

Quinn has lauded the increase, which was signed by his predecessor, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich in 2006.

Then, the general assembly passed an increase from $6.50 to $7.50, under the condition that it would increase each July until it hit $8.25 this year.

Kathy Kingery, manager of the Fulton restaurant, Manny’s Too, said the increase does not affect her business too much.

“I guess my employees like it,” she said, “(but) it shouldn’t affect us. ... The smaller places it might, but we’re busy enough that it won’t hurt us.”

Betty Steinert of Whiteside County Economic Development agreed, saying smaller businesses could feel the pinch of the increase. But it would also make minimum wage workers happy.

“I would think it would increase employee morale,” she said, “That means they’ll have a dollar or two more to put into the economy.”

Steinert said she was not sure if the increase would make Illinois more or less competitive for businesses and workers. She did not know of any figures regarding a possible number of Iowa residents who work in Illinois for the higher wage.

Nor was she sure if whether Brady’s proposed decrease in minimum wage would help or hurt the state, without any data to look at.

But Kingery said a decrease in minimum wage did not seem fair to workers.

“You can’t really live on $8.25,” she said. “I’d rather pay them more and keep them longer, that’s worth more to me.”

County not affected by new EPA rules

Published: June 26, 2010
The Clinton Herald

By Andrew Mitchell Herald Staff Writer

CLINTON — New standards from the Environmental Protection Agency will not greatly affect Clinton County, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. But that does not leave it in the clear.

The EPA tightened its rules limiting the amount of sulfur-dioxide emissions on June 3. The only place in Iowa listed as somewhere in danger of breaking the new rules was Muscatine County.

Clinton was not in danger of sulfur-dioxide, according to those with the Iowa DNR’s Air Quality Control Department.

However, Clinton County is uncomfortably close to the EPA’s limit on fine particles in the air.

Fine particles is the term given to any solid or liquid, non-water particle found in outdoor air. People could breathe these particles in, where they can build up in the respiratory system and cause health problems.

Mindy Kralicek, Air Quality Information specialist for the Iowa DNR, says Clinton County’s fine particle levels are uncomfortably close, but still below the EPA’s safety limit.

“They are close,” she said, “and depending on weather events or traffic patterns ... it would be very easy to exceed the limit. It’s very important that they are conscious about that.”

Currently, fine air particles are limited to 35 micrometers, or 35 thousandths of a millimeter, per cubic meter. Jim McGraw, also with the Iowa DNR Air Quality Control, said two recent readings for Clinton came in at 28 and 32 micrometers per cubic meter. He added the DNR has held numerous meetings with city and county officials, to try and lower these levels.

Advocates for clean air also point to ethanol development plants as big sources of pollution. But McGraw said it was not a big factor in the county’s air quality.

“Ethanol plants, especially the new ones, all have pretty good controls on them for the pollutants we typically regulate,” he said.

People can monitor air quality online, at iowacleanair.com.

Commission to look into mental health program

Published: June 25, 2010
The Clinton Herald

By Andrew Mitchell Herald Staff Writer

CLINTON — How can one make it easier for those with mental health problems to help themselves?

This was the question the Clinton County Justice Coordinating Commission was asked by its guest speaker, Carolyn Pettit-Lange, at their meeting Thursday.

Pettit-Lange is the coordinator for the wellness center at Hillcrest Family Services in Dubuque, and she talked to the commission about pooling resources and working together to prevent people from having a serious mental health crisis.

“We are firmly rooted in what we call recovery philosophy,” she said, meaning providing people with the resources to help themselves.

Too often, she said, mental care focuses on going to someone only when they are a danger to themselves or others.

“Going in and rescuing people does not empower them,” she said.

Instead, she encouraged the commission to use community mental health centers as a hub, working with hospitals, law enforcement and other government agencies, to help people before things get too bad for them.

Many times, she said, people will go to the emergency room for treatment if they feel their mental illness increases, and find little help from nurses trained in treating medical problems, not mental ones.

Hospitals could instead put those people in contact with mental health centers and support staff they might not even realize are available.

“We can do a lot just by opening access,” Pettit-Lange said.

But there are hurdles to jump before this can become possible. First, the community has to apply for and receive grants or funding from the state and county.

Then it has to setup the infrastructure needed to perform the services, and learn to deal with people who might have mental health issues brought on by related problems with drugs and alcohol, which Clinton Police Chief Brian Guy expressed concern over.

“I’m concerned that in our community, there no place to take these people,” Guy said.

Commission coordinator Brian McKenrick said he would travel to Dubuque to see the Hillcrest Center in action, before bringing any substantive action before appropriate governmental bodies.

Chancy station plans reviewed

Published: June 24, 2010
The Clinton Herald

By Andrew Mitchell Herald Staff Writer

CLINTON — Clinton city officials reviewed the plans for expanding the Chancy Fire Station at a committee meeting Wednesday.

The station will receive a new garage for ambulances and fire engines, as well as renovations for the interior dorm rooms for firefighters.

Architect Tim Downing presented the blueprints to the Clinton Fire Station Facilities Committee, saying they bring much needed updates to the fire station without costing too much money.

“We’re aiming for a highly efficient building,” he said.

The committee seemed most concerned with the building’s energy efficiency. The new facility will have an insulated garage and florescent lights installed.

Read the entire story in today's Clinton Herald.

Proposed nuisance fines decreased

2nd Herald article. 200th post!

Published: June 23, 2010

The Clinton Herald

By Andrew MitchellHerald Staff Writer

CLINTON — Clinton City Council softened the edges of a controversial nuisance ordinance during its meeting Tuesday night.

A number of people, like members of the Clinton Landlord Association, opposed the city's proposed increase to fines for nuisance properties, such as abandoned vehicles or badly maintained properties.

The city originally proposed a $500 fine for first-time offenders. But the council approved lowering the first-time fine to $250 after Councilmember Mark Vulich, at-large, introduced amendments to the ordinance.

"I think it's just reasonable," Councilmember Jennifer Graf, at-large, said. "We don't mean to take a rent or house payment from someone."

But, she added, the city did want to make a clear point to someone with a nuisance property.

"That's the objective, to clean it up, not to make money for the city," she said.

Read the entire story in today's Clinton Herald.

Council to vote on railport bids

Yes, the kid is back in the newspaper business. I started this week at The Clinton Herald, a small paper based in Clinton, IA, right on the Mississippi River. Look here for my latest stories on city hall and other such news from this charming river town. Also, dig the new layout!

Published June 22, 2010

The Clinton Herald

By Andrew MitchellHerald Staff Writer

CLINTON — The Lincolnway Railport could be one step closer tonight to breaking ground, if the Clinton City Council agrees to award Reilly Construction a contract for the project, totaling close to $1.5 million.

The Northern Iowa-based construction company was one of seven to bid on the project, which supporters say will bring jobs and economic development to Clinton.

A panel of consulting engineers recommended Reilly after reading the offers from each company. The project was originally estimated to cost $2.35 million. Reilly was one of five companies with offers below that estimate.

If approved, the Lincolnway Railport could smoothly transition toward its scheduled mid-August groundbreaking ceremony and begin construction.

Also before the City Council Committee of the Whole tonight is a resolution to forgive outstanding sewer fees from 2005 and 2006.

The resolution stems back to a period during which the city did not send out water bills because of a change in computer software, which left several building managers and residents with unexpected costs.

This was further exacerbated by the city’s inability to turn off the water for delinquent users.

The city previously hoped to remedy this by outsourcing the sewer billing service, but that idea was eventually abandoned because of high costs.

The resolution would waive delinquent fees from the time in question. If the committee approves, it will still need the City Council’s support before it becomes official. The committee will also hear from the city’s Community Development department on how to improve Clinton’s Urban Revitalization program. The department was requested to analyze the program back in January. They will present recommendations to the committee following the City Council meeting.

The council meets at 7 p.m. tonight at City Hall.

WHERE I'VE BEEN

Since I've recently started posting again at my regular blog, Your Kinetic Android, I figured I should give a long-overdue explanation as to why this particular blog has gone without an update for months.

It's not because I am unemployed or don't get published anymore. As the biography on the right says, I'm currently working in the Springfield Capitol as part of my graduate program at University of Illinois at Springfield. I'm with the Westwood One broadcast wire service, Metro Network, and when the legislative session gets busy, I can submit as many four stories a day.

But those stories end up on the network's website for other member stations to pick up and use at their discretion. So I can't do what I have usually done - copy/paste my stories and post the links to their original website.

I'll be here presumably until June of this year. Perhaps between the time things wind down and I graduate, I'll post some of my recorded stories and scripts.

Thanks for reading!