Susan Smith-Harmon
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The Illinois Senate has again approved a plan to address so-called Smart Grid technology over the objection of Gov. Pat Quinn.
Senators voted 44-11 Tuesday to override Quinn's veto earlier this month. Quinn claimed the bill undermined oversight and would force automatic rate hikes.
Senate President John Cullerton disputed those claims. A three-fifths majority was needed. It now heads to the House.
ComEd pushed the bill as a way to clarify 2011 legislation allowing utilities to raise rates to fund a high-tech system. But executing it has been tricky.
The Illinois Commerce Commission and ComEd disagreed over implementation. ComEd filed a court appeal over technical matters and faces a class-action lawsuit over installation delays.
The proposal clarifies some of those issues and hastens installation.
Dozens homeless after St. Charles apartments flood
Wednesday, 22 May 2013 02:42 Published in Local News
Dozens of St. Charles residents are homeless after their apartments flooded during Monday night's heavy rainfall.
Residents at the Riverview Lane Apartments spent Tuesday cleaning up and trying to salvage what they could. But single mom Jamie Roa told Fox 2 News that losing most of her possessions isn't the hardest part of her ordeal. It's not having a home for her two daughters.
"My kids are crying to me, 'Mommy, I want to come home. Please come get me. Please come get me.' And I can't go and get them," she said. "Because I don't have a home to bring them home to."
This isn't the first time the apartments have flooded. Recently, property owner, Sheila Stumps installed new storm drains to take rain run off water away from the building, but she and residents told Fox 2 News that the city sewers keep backing up.
To make matters worse, some residents say they've been denied flood insurance because their building sits on a flood plain. Other residents say there's nothing in their leases to indicate the risk of flooding.
Stump insists that she informs everyone of the risk verbally.
Stumps says she’ll get the tenants back into their homes as soon as possible, but admits that it will take time.
St. Charles City Council hears both sides of smoking ban issue
Tuesday, 21 May 2013 04:18 Published in Local News
St. Charles City is one step closer to crafting a smoking ban of some sorts. The question is whether there will be any exemptions. The city heard input from citizens Monday night during the 3rd and final public hearing on the issue. Some citizens argue smoking is a health issue while others argued that it's about personal rights and a level playing field.
St. Charles Mayor Sally Faith favors a ban that would exempt the Ameristar Casino because the city receives a large portion of its revenue from the casino. She says in 2012 the casino provided an estimated $13 million in revenue for city services.
Ameristar officials say a smoking ban would put them at a disadvantage competing against other casinos in the area.
Several owners of other local businesses oppose the casino exemption. They argue that its unfair to require most businesses to comply but give Ameristar a pass.
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