Agriculture & Environment

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Concerns aired at ethanol plant forum

CHAMPAIGN – Concern about the impact of a proposed ethanol plant in northwest Champaign on the waters of the Upper Kaskasia drew more than 90 people Monday night to a public hearing.

The hearing was sponsored by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to hear public comment about its tentative decision to issue a permit to The Andersons Ethanol Champaign LLC, to allow the firm to be able to discharge 720,000 gallons per day of wastewater into the Kaskaskia Ditch from its proposed ethanol plant.

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Champaign, Urbana offers free tree walks

The best way to see a city's trees? Good, old-fashioned hoofing it.

Both Champaign and Urbana offer formal tree walks, complete with well-designed and pocketable guides. Danville, although it does not have a designated tree walk or brochure, offers plenty of tree-lined streets for do-it-yourselfers.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Recycling event extended for rest of this week

An unexpectedly large response to the electronics recycling event put on by local governments in Champaign County over the weekend has prompted them to extend the service this week.

The contractor for the event, Mack's Twin City Recycling, agreed to take items other than TV sets free at its facility at 2808 N. Lincoln Ave, U, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Friday, according to Susan Monte of the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission and Urbana Environmental Manager Rod Fletcher.

Monday, April 21, 2008

Clinton landfill opponents want second referendum

CLINTON – Opponents of a proposed chemical waste landfill want DeWitt County voters to give their opinions on a second referendum, this one specifically asking county board members to reverse earlier approval of the project.

The referendum on the Nov. 4 ballot was added at the request of the WATCH opposition group, headed by Matthew Varble of Clinton.

Morning shake latest in wave of aftershocks

CHAMPAIGN – Aftershocks have continued from Friday's earthquake.

At 12:38 a.m. today, a temblor of magnitude 4.5 was recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey near Mount Carmel. It was one of more than 20 aftershocks since Friday.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Pet owners say cats, dogs knew what was going down

Cats and dogs are our nation's best hope in detecting earthquakes before they happen, a wholly unscientific survey has found.

If, like Dr. Dolittle, you could talk to the animals, Mary Burke of Champaign believes that, for safety's sake, you're better off talking to the cat.

Expert: Older structures vulnerable to 'big one'

Earthquake engineering expert Jim Wilcoski doesn't worry about quake insurance on his house.

Although he might see some of its brick veneer flake off in a really big Midwest tremor, he figures, structural damage is unlikely.

Conference highlights alternative energy

If you've experienced sticker shock at the gas pump lately, a University of Illinois conference next week probably holds some interest.

Environmental Horizons, the 10th annual conference put on by the UI's Environmental Council, will look at biofuels, solar panels, wind turbines and geothermal heating, among other things.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Event of this size not seen as big risk structurally

A quake in the magnitude 5 range, like the one that shook the area early this morning, is good-sized for this part of the country, but not much of a threat as far as structural damage goes, University of Illinois engineering Professor Doug Foutch said.

Foutch, an emeritus professor of civil and environmental engineering, said the news reports he had seen noted only minor damage, even near the epicenter, and no injuries.

Residents wake up to shaking furniture

Roxanne Landman of Champaign was working as a nurse at Carle Foundation Hospital when the earthquake struck early this morning.

"I was working on the computer and the monitor was moving all over the place," Landman said. "The call lights from the patients' rooms were going on and off like Christmas."

Geophysicist at UI knew feeling

Tim Larson of Urbana knew what was happening.

"It woke me up this morning," said Larson, a geophysicist who monitors earthquakes at the Illinois State Geological Survey at the University of Illinois. "I knew it was a significant earthquake at some distance away.

Early-morning earthquake rattles Illinois

WEST SALEM – Residents across the Midwest were awakened Friday by a 5.2 magnitude earthquake that rattled skyscrapers in Chicago's Loop and homes in Cincinnati but appeared to cause no major injuries or damage.

The quake just before 4:37 a.m. was centered six miles from West Salem, Ill., and 45 miles from Evansville, Ind. It was felt in such distant cities as Milwaukee, Des Moines, Iowa, and Atlanta, nearly 400 miles to the southeast.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Animal ID program concerns voiced

Young people showing their livestock at area county fairs and 4-H shows might not have to register their animals with the state this summer after all.

State Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, said he has heard concerns from the parents of hundreds of 4-H club members over a decision by the Illinois Department of Agriculture requiring youths planning on showing their livestock to register the animals under the National Animal Identification System.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Scrap metal drop-off site to open

DANVILLE – From the driver's seat, you can buy a meal, pick up a prescription, get cash, pay a bill – and now, you can drop off aluminum and other scrap metal for recycling.

Next week, Mervis Industries will open Advantage Recycling, a new 60-by-80-foot center at the corner of Henning Road and U.S. 150 west of Danville that features a covered drive-through area where people can drop off metal recyclables, including aluminum, brass, copper, scrap iron, stainless steel and batteries.