The Illinois High School Association needs a new home for the state football championships on Thanksgiving weekend starting in 2013. Changes in the Big Ten means U of I will need their field on even years.
SIU's new arena would provide the warmest location for the annual match-up. How about some regional cooperation between Carbondale and Williamson County tourism bureaus? It would take all the rooms in both counties to handle this, but it could be a big boost for late fall tourism.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Private Sector Stepping Up with Tourism Packages for Region
A new website, EscapeLocally.com will soon be offering Southern Illinois vacation packages to tourists. The Southern has a brief version of the story up tonight. A full version is expected tomorrow.
This looks intriguing. Look forward to more tomorrow.
This looks intriguing. Look forward to more tomorrow.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Heart of Egypt Gains While Region Loses Population
The 2010 census shows deep Southern Illinois, the 17 southernmost counties of the state, losing 3,190 residents from 2000 to 2010.
Williamson, Jackson, Franklin, Massac and (surprisingly) Pope Counties all grew over the decade. The other counties shrank. Alexander and Pulaski counties at the tip lost 2,539 residents, continuing a long decline. Jefferson County and Mount Vernon which has stumbled economically a 3 percent decline in population. Saline County lost
The following are the county names, 2000 population, 2010 population and the amount and percentage gained or lost.
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17 County Total - 386,611 > 383,421 = (3,190) or -0.8%
Williamson, Jackson, Franklin, Massac and (surprisingly) Pope Counties all grew over the decade. The other counties shrank. Alexander and Pulaski counties at the tip lost 2,539 residents, continuing a long decline. Jefferson County and Mount Vernon which has stumbled economically a 3 percent decline in population. Saline County lost
The following are the county names, 2000 population, 2010 population and the amount and percentage gained or lost.
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- Alexander - 9,590 > 8,238 = (1,352) or -14.1%
- Franklin - 39,018 < 39,561 = 543 or 1.4%
- Gallatin - 6,445 > 5,589 = (856) or -13.3%
- Hamilton - 8,621 > 8,457 = (164) or -1.9%
- Hardin - 4,800 > 4,320 = (480) or -10.0%
- Jackson - 59,612 < 60,218 = 606 or 1.0%
- Jefferson - 40,045 > 38,827 = (1,218) or -3.0%
- Johnson - 12,878 > 12,582 = (296) or -2.3%
- Massac - 15,161 < 15,429 = 268 or 1.8%
- Perry - 23,094 > 22,350 = (744) or -3.2%
- Pope - 4,413 < 4,470 = 57 or 1.3%
- Pulaski - 7,348 > 6,161 = (1,187) -16.2%
- Randolph - 33,893 > 33,476 = (417) or -1.2%
- Saline - 26,733 > 24,913 = (1,820) or -6.8%
- Union - 18,293 > 17,808 = (485) or -2.7%
- White - 15,371 > 14,665 = (706) or -4.6%
- Williamson - 61,296 > 66,357 = 5,061 or 8.3%
17 County Total - 386,611 > 383,421 = (3,190) or -0.8%
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Who Gained, Who Lost? Census Data in for Illinois
Details will be available within the next 24 hours for better population breakdowns, but there's what the U.S. Census Bureau offers up right now.
Click in the top right corner of the graphic to take it full screen and make is readable.
Click in the top right corner of the graphic to take it full screen and make is readable.
State Approves Rules for STAR Bonds
The new destination development planned for Marion passed a new milestone last week with the adoption of formal rules by the state to create and oversee the development of the STAR Bonds District.
The Illinois Department of Revenue proposed rules last year. A department spokesman told the Southern Illinoisan last week the Joint Commission on Administrative Rules approved them last Wednesday.
The Illinois Department of Revenue proposed rules last year. A department spokesman told the Southern Illinoisan last week the Joint Commission on Administrative Rules approved them last Wednesday.
The district allows for a portion of sales taxes generated by the planned retail and entertainment complex be used to offset development and construction costs.
"The rules seek to assure job creation by requiring that the Marion STAR bond project be a destination development that draws people into Illinois from other states - otherwise you are just moving jobs around in Illinois," Klemens said. "The rules seek to assure that the project will be a true destination development with the power to draw visitors from Indianapolis, Memphis, Nashville (Tenn.) and beyond," he said.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Kokopelli's Renovations on Course with Clubhouse
The newly renovated and expanded restaurant at Kokopelli Golf Club — Koko's — has opened to rave reviews.
The grand staircase is gone, and the bar which awkwardly stood out on one side of the dining area, has been moved to the old pro shop. The pro shop has moved downstairs to the former main entrance.
The moves are all part of a rehabilitation and expansion of the course facilities and housing development by the new owners Green Grass Group. In addition, work is underway on an extension of Champions Drive southward from the clubhouse to Halfway Road at Rent One Park.
Late last year, the Marion City Council, officially changed some of the street names around the area of The Hill development. Halfway Road now stops at the base of The Hill at 17th Street. Champions Drive will run up the hill, past MidCountry Bank, Fairfield Inn, and the west side of Rent One Park before entering Kokopelli and heading up to the clubhouse.
As part of the name changes, the city also dropped Fairmount Homes Drive from the list of street names, replacing it with Morgan Avenue, which now includes the new overpass over Interstate 57 and runs to Halfway Road, where it becomes 17th Street, in honor of the barbecue bar and grill at the intersection.
For more information about Kokopelli check out their website, KokopelliGolf.com.
The grand staircase is gone, and the bar which awkwardly stood out on one side of the dining area, has been moved to the old pro shop. The pro shop has moved downstairs to the former main entrance.
"Golfers wanted a place where they could go that wasn't in the middle of the dining room," Events Coordinator Mark Sutton said. "That almost doubled our seating capacity and made us more flexible because we're able to divide it off for different things."
A wood floor covers the space originally open for the building's main staircase. That brings diners close to a picturesque view of the golf course and neighborhood.
The moves are all part of a rehabilitation and expansion of the course facilities and housing development by the new owners Green Grass Group. In addition, work is underway on an extension of Champions Drive southward from the clubhouse to Halfway Road at Rent One Park.
Late last year, the Marion City Council, officially changed some of the street names around the area of The Hill development. Halfway Road now stops at the base of The Hill at 17th Street. Champions Drive will run up the hill, past MidCountry Bank, Fairfield Inn, and the west side of Rent One Park before entering Kokopelli and heading up to the clubhouse.
As part of the name changes, the city also dropped Fairmount Homes Drive from the list of street names, replacing it with Morgan Avenue, which now includes the new overpass over Interstate 57 and runs to Halfway Road, where it becomes 17th Street, in honor of the barbecue bar and grill at the intersection.
For more information about Kokopelli check out their website, KokopelliGolf.com.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Friends of Bald Knob Cross Win in Court
A federal judge in central Illinois accepted a magistrate's recommendation against the claims of a northern Illinois atheist who sued over a $20,000 tourism grant for the restoration of famous Bald Knob Cross near Alto Pass, Illinois.
The Friends of the Cross organization received a $20,000 state grant in their $300,000 fundraising campaign to restore the badly weather-worn landmark.
More than $500,000 has been raised and spent over the last two years to restore the 111-foot tall cross, first built in 1959 and covered in 1963.
More on the cross can be found online at www.BaldKnobCross.com.
The Friends of the Cross organization received a $20,000 state grant in their $300,000 fundraising campaign to restore the badly weather-worn landmark.
More than $500,000 has been raised and spent over the last two years to restore the 111-foot tall cross, first built in 1959 and covered in 1963.
More on the cross can be found online at www.BaldKnobCross.com.
Senate Memorializes Father of Illinois Wine Industry
The Illinois Senate passed a resolution today honoring Guy Renzaglia for his role in developing the state's modern wine industry. State Sen. David Luechtefeld, R-Nashville, introduced Senate Resolution 35 Tuesday.
Renzaglia died three months ago on Nov. 4, 2010, at his home in Mahomet, Ill. He was the founder of Alto Vineyards at Alto Pass, the oldest of the modern-era wineries in Southern Illinois.
The Senate resolution includes the following history.
State Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, filed a similar resolution, HR51 in the Illinois House yesterday.
Renzaglia died three months ago on Nov. 4, 2010, at his home in Mahomet, Ill. He was the founder of Alto Vineyards at Alto Pass, the oldest of the modern-era wineries in Southern Illinois.
The Senate resolution includes the following history.
WHEREAS, Guy Renzaglia enlisted to serve his country during World War II and finished first in the Officer Candidate School in the Army Air Corps; he served with distinction during five years in uniform, and, like many of his peers in the Greatest Generation, he returned home and attended college on the GI Bill; and
WHEREAS, Guy Renzaglia, the son of Italian immigrants, was an accomplished athlete and scholar and a member of the George Washington University Hall of Fame; he earned his bachelor's degree at GWU and his master's degree in physical education at the University of Minnesota; he subsequently earned his second master's degree in psychology and his doctorate in counseling psychology; and
WHEREAS, Guy Renzaglia had a vision to provide support to underserved persons; he applied his determination and wisdom to develop the Rehabilitation Institute at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, making it one of the few universities in the country at the time to provide services for the blind, deaf, and persons using wheelchairs; and
WHEREAS, Through Guy Renzaglia's strength and charisma, the Rehabilitation Institute became a nationally acclaimed program which trained more than 1,000 professionals in rehabilitation and mental health services; and
WHEREAS, Guy Renzaglia retired from SIU-C after 23 years of service; at the age of 60, he started a partnership with two friends, Ted Wichman and Skip Cosgrove, and began a vineyard and winery later known as Alto Vineyards; and
WHEREAS, People from across the globe have come to southern Illinois to sample the brilliant wines and warm hospitality of Alto Vineyards, seeing and tasting for themselves the labor of love which Guy Renzaglia passed along to his son, Paul Renzaglia, as well as a love for life and people which is evident in every delicious sip; and
WHEREAS, Alto Vineyards has served as the model for dozens of other wineries and as the birthplace of the wine industry in Illinois, which now boasts some 90 working wineries and hundreds of acres of vineyards, and brings Illinois national respect as a wine-producing region enjoyed by thousands of visitors each year; and
WHEREAS, Our hearts are heavy with his loss, but we rejoice in the time he shared in our lives; we are comforted by the knowledge that Guy Renzaglia's heart will never leave the fertile and beautiful rolling hills of southern Illinois, the wonderful people of southern Illinois, and the SIU community; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family, and friends, the passing of Guy Renzaglia; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we affirm that his spirit remains a living part of us all and that his family and friends will love and forever miss him; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Guy Renzaglia as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.
State Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, filed a similar resolution, HR51 in the Illinois House yesterday.
Bradley, Bost Introduces Bills Affecting Tourism
UPDATED with additional bills
Two Southern Illinois lawmakers have introduced four bills that could impact tourists and the area's tourism industry should they get lawmaker approval and the governor's signature.
State Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, has introduced the first three, and state Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, the fourth one.
House Bill 1154 would exempt the Red Cross from paying bed tax at local hotels when the rooms are used for official purposes during disaster relief. The Red Cross isn't named directly, but is referenced as a distaster relief agencies incorporated by the United States Congress.
House Bill 1389 is a short appropriations bill authorizing $300,000 for the Illinois Department of Transportation to prepare a study for a new interchange on Interstate 57 just north of Benton at Petroff Road. This bill most likely won't pass as written, but the language could be added to one of the main appropriation bills later in the session. These aren't fully developed until the end of the legislative session.
The third bill isn't tourism-related directly, but would benefit tourists and local residents alike. House Bill 1392 would prohibit local units of government from issuing ticket quotes for law enforcement officers. Communities such as Cairo and Ullin, and even Williamson County, are becoming notorious for speed traps along I-57. I'm not saying that those agencies are using quotas, but Cairo especially could use more law enforcement inside their city limits rather than harass interstate travellers crossing the bridge from Missouri.
Bost's bill, House Bill 303 would amend the State Finance Act to create the Grow Illinois Jobs Fund that would allocate 2 cents per gallon of any existing tax on wine (other than cider) to be deposited into the new fund to promote the grape and wine industry in the state. The money would be split between the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity home of the Illinois Bureau of Tourism which has supported wine promotion in the past.
Bost's 115th District includes the largest concentration of wineries in the state, including the dozen wineries on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail and at least another half dozen in Union and Jackson counties. State Sen. David Luechtefeld, R-Nashville, has introduced Senate Bill 1285, a Senate version of the same legislation.
Over on the senate side, state Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, has co-sponsored Senate Bill 1337 introduced by John M. Sullivan to create a hunting season for river otters.
State Sen. John O. Jones, R-Mount Vernon, has introduced Senate Bill 77 that would amend the criminal code to exempt military re-enactors from restrictions prohibiting the sale, manufacture, purchase, possession or carrying of specified vintage weapons under certain conditions.
Two Southern Illinois lawmakers have introduced four bills that could impact tourists and the area's tourism industry should they get lawmaker approval and the governor's signature.
State Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, has introduced the first three, and state Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, the fourth one.
House Bill 1154 would exempt the Red Cross from paying bed tax at local hotels when the rooms are used for official purposes during disaster relief. The Red Cross isn't named directly, but is referenced as a distaster relief agencies incorporated by the United States Congress.
House Bill 1389 is a short appropriations bill authorizing $300,000 for the Illinois Department of Transportation to prepare a study for a new interchange on Interstate 57 just north of Benton at Petroff Road. This bill most likely won't pass as written, but the language could be added to one of the main appropriation bills later in the session. These aren't fully developed until the end of the legislative session.
The third bill isn't tourism-related directly, but would benefit tourists and local residents alike. House Bill 1392 would prohibit local units of government from issuing ticket quotes for law enforcement officers. Communities such as Cairo and Ullin, and even Williamson County, are becoming notorious for speed traps along I-57. I'm not saying that those agencies are using quotas, but Cairo especially could use more law enforcement inside their city limits rather than harass interstate travellers crossing the bridge from Missouri.
Bost's bill, House Bill 303 would amend the State Finance Act to create the Grow Illinois Jobs Fund that would allocate 2 cents per gallon of any existing tax on wine (other than cider) to be deposited into the new fund to promote the grape and wine industry in the state. The money would be split between the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity home of the Illinois Bureau of Tourism which has supported wine promotion in the past.
Bost's 115th District includes the largest concentration of wineries in the state, including the dozen wineries on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail and at least another half dozen in Union and Jackson counties. State Sen. David Luechtefeld, R-Nashville, has introduced Senate Bill 1285, a Senate version of the same legislation.
Over on the senate side, state Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, has co-sponsored Senate Bill 1337 introduced by John M. Sullivan to create a hunting season for river otters.
State Sen. John O. Jones, R-Mount Vernon, has introduced Senate Bill 77 that would amend the criminal code to exempt military re-enactors from restrictions prohibiting the sale, manufacture, purchase, possession or carrying of specified vintage weapons under certain conditions.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Walker's Bluff Expands Management Team
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Another Winery Opens North of Route 13
View Wineries North of Routes 3/149/13 in a larger map
There's the makings of a new wine trail in the region with the opening of a fifth winery in northern Jackson County just south of Elkville.
Lyn-Nita Vineyards opened Nov. 19 at the intersection of U.S. 51 and Coal Road, according to the Southern Business Journal. Anita Eckhardt is the proprietor.
Eckhardt said the winemaking community in Southern Illinois has been helpful and welcoming to her on her new venture.
"All the wineries down here have been just wonderful," she said. "They don't view it as a competition; they actually view it as something good for the business.
"Right now nobody feels like the market is over-saturated just yet," she added. "They feel like it's good to have more wineries here."
Jackson County is better known for the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail which runs south of Carbondale and Murphysboro and has previously decided to limit themselves to south of Route 13 and west of Interstate 57.
Twelve wineries operate on that trail, the state's first. Two more wineries have opened in the last year or so in their territory and may soon qualify for membership - Lincoln Heritage in Union County and Honker Hill in Williamson County.
Monday, December 06, 2010
'Phone Ringing' With Interest in Millennium Development
View Marion STAR Bonds District in a larger map
Sunday's Southern Illinoisan brought the latest status update for the new Millennium Development project slated for Marion's north side.
Many are interested, but nobody's signed on the dotted line yet in terms of the major anchors, though the developer hopes to have one by the end of the month.
"The phone is ringing. We've been in meetings and having conversations with several potential users. Some are performing market studies, doing their own due diligence. We hope to know more before the end of December," [Developer Bruce] Holland said. "Of course, the holiday season is their busiest time of the year, but we've been talking to some on a weekly basis."
Developers need to land at least one of the two major destination users (large retailers with the capability to attract shoppers from far away) as well as the major entertainment user before they can submit a plan for city and state approval.
Holland told the Southern that they have all the land they need at the present, though should the project expand they could acquire additional acreage. Legislation allowing the STAR Bonds District allows the district to expand up to 500 acres. It's currently under 400 acres.
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Watch Out Metropolis! Cape Lands A Casino
The move could help the counties on both sides of the Mississippi River in Illinois and Missouri with new jobs and tourism opportunities, but it's expected to come at a cost to Southern Illinois' only existing casino at Metropolis.
Last May another Missouri casino operator touted a study that showed Cape Girardeau as the best location for the state's 13th casino, at least in terms of actually adding to Missouri's take of gambling taxes. The study by Ameristar Casinos showed the Mississippi River town with a potential to generate $87 million in gross revenue to become the state's biggest casino outside Kansas City and St. Louis.
Importantly for Missouri, but bad for Illinois, the study showed a Cape Girardeau casino wouldn't cannibalize any Missouri casino, just Harrah's casino in Metropolis.
Only a small portion -- $10 million -- of the Cape Girardeau revenue would come from another casino, and the report identifies Harrah's in Metropolis, Ill., as the loser.
Ameristar, which already operated casinos in Missouri wanted to limit the competition and not see another competitor come to the St. Louis market. A second study by the state's gaming commission that came out last week basically agreed.
"In all three scenarios, Isle of Capri-Cape Girardeau generated the highest net new casino revenue and gaming taxes, new employment, and, overall Gross Domestic Product," the study found. Casino Celebration was second in all three scenarios.
Both St. Louis and Kansas City are home to several casinos. Cape Girardeau is about 100 miles south of St. Louis. The only other casino within a close drive is in the small town of Caruthersville in the Missouri Bootheel, about 85 miles south of Cape Girardeau.
"All of the applicants have submitted proposals for medium-sized facilities but only Isle of Capri is far enough from existing Missouri casinos to minimize cannibalization," the report found.
Isle of Capri, based in suburban St. Louis, is proposing a $125 million casino along the Mississippi River in Cape Girardeau.
The casino would become one of the largest tourism sites in the Heartland with the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail and the four dozen lodging operators seeing the first benefit. It will also be just 45 miles away from the new Millennium Development project in Marion.
The casino isn't slated to open until late 2012 according to the Southeast Missourian.
The project is expected to include 1,000 slot machines, 28 table games, three restaurants, a lounge and terrace overlooking the Mississippi River and a 750-seat event center at an estimated cost of $125 million.
Isle of Capri will present a preliminary development plan to the city planning commission on Dec. 8.
Marion Lands Miss Illinois Pageant
The Marion Cultural and Civic Center as well as Drury Inn landed the 2011 Miss Illinois pageant next June 28-July 2. The winner goes to compete in the Miss America pageant.
The Miss Illinois Scholarship Association announced the selection on the website MissIllinois.org. The Marion Daily Republican has the story.
She apparently liked what she saw. Congratulations civic center staff for landing the event.
The Miss Illinois Scholarship Association announced the selection on the website MissIllinois.org. The Marion Daily Republican has the story.
The announcement of the move was posted on the Miss Illinois website Friday. The website had formerly announced the pageant would return to the Norris Cultural Arts Center in St. Charles. But that changed after the pageant's director visited Marion earlier this month.
She apparently liked what she saw. Congratulations civic center staff for landing the event.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Hunters Harvest More than 68,000 Deer So Far
SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) reports that hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 68,037 deer during the opening weekend of the 2010 Illinois firearm deer season, Nov. 19-21. The seven-day firearm season will conclude on Dec. 2-5.
The preliminary total for the first three days of the 2010 firearm season compares with the first weekend harvest of 66,126 deer during the 2009 deer season and 71,894 deer during the opening weekend in 2008. The top county harvest totals last weekend were reported in Pike (1,957), Adams (1,741), Fulton (1,721), Jo Daviess (1,640) and Randolph (1,520).
Hunters harvested 99,493 deer during the entire seven-day firearm deer season last year. The preliminary first-season figures reported for each county include those deer taken on special hunt areas within that county as well as on private land.
“The opening season of firearm deer hunting offered hunters a combination of enjoyable weather and virtually-complete crop harvest,” said IDNR Forest Wildlife Program Manager Paul Shelton. “Rutting activity was still evident, so it all came together for a very successful season with a number of nice bucks harvested.”
The IDNR has issued more than 370,000 firearm deer hunting permits for the 2010 season. Most hunters register their deer harvest online through the IDNR web site or by phoning 1-866-ILCHECK (1-866-452-4325) by 10 p.m. on the day of harvest. Hunters in Boone, DeKalb, Grundy, Kane, LaSalle, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson and Winnebago Counties take their deer to county check stations (by 8 p.m. on the day of harvest) where the IDNR registers the deer and conducts sampling for chronic wasting disease (CWD).
Approximately 60 percent of the deer taken during the first weekend of firearm hunting were bucks, identical to the first weekend of the firearm season in 2009.
The Illinois firearm deer season concludes Dec. 2-5. The muzzleloader-only deer season is Dec. 10-12. The split late-winter antlerless-only firearm deer season and the special CWD deer season are Dec. 30, 2010-Jan. 2, 2011 and Jan. 14-16, 2011. The state’s 2010-2011 archery deer season continues through Jan. 16 (except closed in firearm counties during the second firearm season Dec. 2-5).
The table below provides preliminary county harvest totals for the first weekend of the firearm deer season and comparable figures for the first season in 2009.
County 2010 2009
Adams 1741 1614
Alexander 296 328
Bond 535 566
Boone 90 102
Brown 892 938
Bureau 1024 820
Calhoun 668 858
Carroll 756 698
Cass 458 494
Champaign 219 171
Christian 459 400
Clark 940 908
Clay 947 942
Clinton 588 581
Coles 560 502
Crawford 819 798
Cumberland 641 617
DeKalb 157 126
DeWitt 283 250
Douglas 131 130
Edgar 565 528
Edwards 325 366
Effingham 774 765
Fayette 1264 1336
Ford 101 74
Franklin 820 779
Fulton 1721 1725
Gallatin 402 421
Greene 986 873
Grundy 300 274
Hamilton 812 872
Hancock 1291 1215
Hardin 696 747
Henderson 449 390
Henry 545 479
Iroquois 502 387
Jackson 1502 1416
Jasper 861 837
Jefferson 1475 1606
Jersey 625 585
JoDaviess 1640 1493
Johnson 1202 1304
Kane 37 38
Kankakee 151 121
Kendall 53 59
Knox 1021 866
Lake 5 9
LaSalle 878 756
Lawrence 399 457
Lee 531 436
Livingston 454 316
Logan 285 235
Macon 200 203
Macoupin 1192 1200
Madison 651 638
Marion 1276 1374
Marshall 569 548
Mason 439 443
Massac 402 425
McDonough 738 707
McHenry 191 215
McLean 550 450
Menard 334 310
Mercer 674 551
Monroe 722 792
Montgomery 820 841
Morgan 626 732
Moultrie 232 206
Ogle 742 645
Peoria 1074 1012
Perry 823 899
Piatt 127 115
Pike 1957 2012
Pope 1294 1275
Pulaski 466 471
Putnam 355 365
Randolph 1520 1576
Richland 545 614
Rock Island 591 578
Saline 720 644
Sangamon 569 541
Schuyler 1130 1114
Scott 377 368
Shelby 1012 996
St. Clair 662 656
Stark 261 186
Stephenson 789 547
Tazewell 514 505
Union 1162 1168
Vermilion 609 472
Wabash 194 211
Warren 429 388
Washington 799 839
Wayne 1210 1247
White 662 692
Whiteside 627 501
Will 208 214
Williamson 1110 1101
Winnebago 307 269
Woodford 700 662
Total 68037 66126
The preliminary total for the first three days of the 2010 firearm season compares with the first weekend harvest of 66,126 deer during the 2009 deer season and 71,894 deer during the opening weekend in 2008. The top county harvest totals last weekend were reported in Pike (1,957), Adams (1,741), Fulton (1,721), Jo Daviess (1,640) and Randolph (1,520).
Hunters harvested 99,493 deer during the entire seven-day firearm deer season last year. The preliminary first-season figures reported for each county include those deer taken on special hunt areas within that county as well as on private land.
“The opening season of firearm deer hunting offered hunters a combination of enjoyable weather and virtually-complete crop harvest,” said IDNR Forest Wildlife Program Manager Paul Shelton. “Rutting activity was still evident, so it all came together for a very successful season with a number of nice bucks harvested.”
The IDNR has issued more than 370,000 firearm deer hunting permits for the 2010 season. Most hunters register their deer harvest online through the IDNR web site or by phoning 1-866-ILCHECK (1-866-452-4325) by 10 p.m. on the day of harvest. Hunters in Boone, DeKalb, Grundy, Kane, LaSalle, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson and Winnebago Counties take their deer to county check stations (by 8 p.m. on the day of harvest) where the IDNR registers the deer and conducts sampling for chronic wasting disease (CWD).
Approximately 60 percent of the deer taken during the first weekend of firearm hunting were bucks, identical to the first weekend of the firearm season in 2009.
The Illinois firearm deer season concludes Dec. 2-5. The muzzleloader-only deer season is Dec. 10-12. The split late-winter antlerless-only firearm deer season and the special CWD deer season are Dec. 30, 2010-Jan. 2, 2011 and Jan. 14-16, 2011. The state’s 2010-2011 archery deer season continues through Jan. 16 (except closed in firearm counties during the second firearm season Dec. 2-5).
The table below provides preliminary county harvest totals for the first weekend of the firearm deer season and comparable figures for the first season in 2009.
County 2010 2009
Adams 1741 1614
Alexander 296 328
Bond 535 566
Boone 90 102
Brown 892 938
Bureau 1024 820
Calhoun 668 858
Carroll 756 698
Cass 458 494
Champaign 219 171
Christian 459 400
Clark 940 908
Clay 947 942
Clinton 588 581
Coles 560 502
Crawford 819 798
Cumberland 641 617
DeKalb 157 126
DeWitt 283 250
Douglas 131 130
Edgar 565 528
Edwards 325 366
Effingham 774 765
Fayette 1264 1336
Ford 101 74
Franklin 820 779
Fulton 1721 1725
Gallatin 402 421
Greene 986 873
Grundy 300 274
Hamilton 812 872
Hancock 1291 1215
Hardin 696 747
Henderson 449 390
Henry 545 479
Iroquois 502 387
Jackson 1502 1416
Jasper 861 837
Jefferson 1475 1606
Jersey 625 585
JoDaviess 1640 1493
Johnson 1202 1304
Kane 37 38
Kankakee 151 121
Kendall 53 59
Knox 1021 866
Lake 5 9
LaSalle 878 756
Lawrence 399 457
Lee 531 436
Livingston 454 316
Logan 285 235
Macon 200 203
Macoupin 1192 1200
Madison 651 638
Marion 1276 1374
Marshall 569 548
Mason 439 443
Massac 402 425
McDonough 738 707
McHenry 191 215
McLean 550 450
Menard 334 310
Mercer 674 551
Monroe 722 792
Montgomery 820 841
Morgan 626 732
Moultrie 232 206
Ogle 742 645
Peoria 1074 1012
Perry 823 899
Piatt 127 115
Pike 1957 2012
Pope 1294 1275
Pulaski 466 471
Putnam 355 365
Randolph 1520 1576
Richland 545 614
Rock Island 591 578
Saline 720 644
Sangamon 569 541
Schuyler 1130 1114
Scott 377 368
Shelby 1012 996
St. Clair 662 656
Stark 261 186
Stephenson 789 547
Tazewell 514 505
Union 1162 1168
Vermilion 609 472
Wabash 194 211
Warren 429 388
Washington 799 839
Wayne 1210 1247
White 662 692
Whiteside 627 501
Will 208 214
Williamson 1110 1101
Winnebago 307 269
Woodford 700 662
Total 68037 66126
Monday, October 25, 2010
New Winery Opens in Union County
The Southern Illinoisan today has the story on the new Lincoln Heritage Winery in Union County operated by Homer and Bonnie Cissell. The winery opened last week on Oct. 15.
The winery is located at 772 Kaolin Road outside Cobden. They're open noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, and from noon to 7 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
You can find them on Facebook and it appears that they're still working on their website, which will be at www.LincolnHeritageWinery.com when it's up and running.
In planning and designing their winery, the Cissell's said they wanted an atmosphere that reflected their personalities.
"We don't want a frenetic or party-like atmosphere," Bonnie said. "The great thing about the wine trail is every winery has its own personality."
"So if you want that party atmosphere, you've got a couple places you can go, and if that's not for you, you can come here," she added. "We wanted it to reflect what we enjoy when we go places."
Homer said it's important for each winery to have its own persona, both in its atmosphere and in its wines offered.
The winery is located at 772 Kaolin Road outside Cobden. They're open noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, and from noon to 7 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
You can find them on Facebook and it appears that they're still working on their website, which will be at www.LincolnHeritageWinery.com when it's up and running.
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Papers Add to Story About STAR Bonds District
View Marion STAR Bonds District in a larger map
Both the Marion Daily Republican and the Southern Illinoisan have their stories online from last night's Marion City Council meeting establishing the state's first STAR Bonds District.
Monday's action means the next legal step belongs to the Illinois Department of Revenue which has to approve the district's creation.
Although the developers did not identify any prospects by name, the Southern reports that Holland said the destination users could be identified within the next two months.
By law, Millennium Development must include at least one of the potential two destination users as well as the entertainment user in their master plan before the state will sign off on the plan.
The entertainment user is the non-retail attraction, possibly a theme park, that's necessary to attract enough visitors to the area to support the retail development. In turn, the sales tax generated by the retailers is what pays for the development of the entertainment user.
The legislation is designed to require both sides of the equation to be in place or the plan can't work and won't be certified by the state in the first place.
The law allows for a STAR Bonds district of 300 to 500 acres. The new district is just 366 acres, which leaves 134 acres that could be added later if necessary.
Monday, October 04, 2010
Marion Establishes STAR Bonds District
The Marion City Council voted 5-0 tonight establishing the state's first STAR (sales tax and revenue) Bonds District north of Morgan Avenue.
Developer Bruce Holland could only publicly confirm that prospective partners were showing interest, but due to non-disclosure agreements could not name them at this time.
This is typical for major commercial developments. In the case of the Illinois Centre Mall the identity of the anchor stores came later after the initial mall announcement.
Developer Bruce Holland could only publicly confirm that prospective partners were showing interest, but due to non-disclosure agreements could not name them at this time.
This is typical for major commercial developments. In the case of the Illinois Centre Mall the identity of the anchor stores came later after the initial mall announcement.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Hundley House Secures Liquor License, DiMaggio Expanding
Carbondale's historic Hundley House, now a bed and breakfast secured the approval Monday of the Liquor Advisory Board in its quest for the ability to serve alcohol to their overnight guests.
For the history of the effort check out this post from earlier this summer.
The Daily Egyptian has the current story.
In other news from the "Athens of Egypt" as Carbondale was heralded a century ago, DiMaggio Pizza, a little known pizzeria tucked away among the student housing east of campus will soon move to a larger and more visible location in the former Godfather Pizza restaurant on Route 13 at 1030 W. Walnut St.
It too secured approval from the Liquor Advisory Board for a license. The new location will include an expanded Italian menu.
Meanwhile Chili's restaurant continues its construction in front of Dick's Sporting Goods in the old K-mart parking lot across from the University Mall.
For the history of the effort check out this post from earlier this summer.
The Daily Egyptian has the current story.
In other news from the "Athens of Egypt" as Carbondale was heralded a century ago, DiMaggio Pizza, a little known pizzeria tucked away among the student housing east of campus will soon move to a larger and more visible location in the former Godfather Pizza restaurant on Route 13 at 1030 W. Walnut St.
It too secured approval from the Liquor Advisory Board for a license. The new location will include an expanded Italian menu.
Meanwhile Chili's restaurant continues its construction in front of Dick's Sporting Goods in the old K-mart parking lot across from the University Mall.
STAR Bonds District Boundaries On Display
The proposed new STAR Bonds District map went on display today at City Hall in Marion (but not online as one might expect in the 21st Century).
View Marion STAR Bonds District in a larger map
The boundary is less than the 500 acres maximum and is closer to 400 acres I think. It includes the 43.52 acre-tract behind Menards, but I can't remember if it included the 3 acre outlot immediately to the east (Lot C). Marion Heights LLC is planning on keeping at least two of the outlots to sell themselves on either side of Stadium Drive between Blue Herons Drive and Morgan Avenue.
On the east side of the interstate the district includes almost all the land north of Morgan up to Longstreet, then east to about a quarter mile east of Russell Street, except it does not include the residential area north of Morgan in the trailer park, up Peabody Lane, Emery and Cash Streets.
On Russell Street the district does not begin until north of the Northernaire subdivision and the homes along Cox Street.
The map and legal description will remain on display at City Hall for at least a week before the council officially approves it, which I'm assuming will take place next Monday.
Meanwhile, the Illinois Department of Revenue has posted its proposed rules for regulating the STAR Bonds District. As expected based on their public statements, the rules are even more restrictive than the legislation itself, though for the most part they seem reasonable.
Read them yourself and offer comments at the Department of Revenue STAR Bonds website.
View Marion STAR Bonds District in a larger map
The boundary is less than the 500 acres maximum and is closer to 400 acres I think. It includes the 43.52 acre-tract behind Menards, but I can't remember if it included the 3 acre outlot immediately to the east (Lot C). Marion Heights LLC is planning on keeping at least two of the outlots to sell themselves on either side of Stadium Drive between Blue Herons Drive and Morgan Avenue.
On the east side of the interstate the district includes almost all the land north of Morgan up to Longstreet, then east to about a quarter mile east of Russell Street, except it does not include the residential area north of Morgan in the trailer park, up Peabody Lane, Emery and Cash Streets.
On Russell Street the district does not begin until north of the Northernaire subdivision and the homes along Cox Street.
The map and legal description will remain on display at City Hall for at least a week before the council officially approves it, which I'm assuming will take place next Monday.
Meanwhile, the Illinois Department of Revenue has posted its proposed rules for regulating the STAR Bonds District. As expected based on their public statements, the rules are even more restrictive than the legislation itself, though for the most part they seem reasonable.
Read them yourself and offer comments at the Department of Revenue STAR Bonds website.
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