Words Of Wisdom

"[A] good moral character is the first essential in a man, and that the habits contracted at your age are generally indelible, and your conduct here may stamp your character through life. It is therefore highly important that you should endeavor not only to be learned but virtuous."

 --George Washington

Walkup Avenue Road Work Update

Traffic has been realigned from the Veteran Acres Park entrance to IL Rte. 176.  Daily lane closures will occur on Walkup Road from Talismon Drive to IL Rte. 176 to allow work to resume on this remaining stretch of Walkup to be completed.  

Pavement removal on Walkup Road from Talismon Drive to IL Rte. 176 began April 4 and will be followed by storm sewer installation approximately April 9. 

Remaining work on Walkup Road includes - the storm sewer installation, stone placement, curb and gutter completion, and asphalt installation.  Curb and gutter and sidewalk installation should also begin on IL Rte. 176 starting within 2 weeks.  

Watch for traffic flaggers, avoid using your cell phone and drive safely through the construction zone.

Walkup Avenue Road Work Alert

Traffic has been realigned from the Veteran Acres Park entrance to IL Rte. 176.  

Daily lane closures will occur on Walkup Road from Talismon Drive to IL Rte. 176 to allow work to resume on this remaining stretch of Walkup to be completed.  Pavement removal on Walkup Road from Talismon Drive to IL Rte. 176 began 4/4/13 and will be followed by storm sewer installation approximately 4/9/13.  

Remaining work on Walkup Road includes - the storm sewer installation, stone placement, curb and gutter completion, and asphalt installation.  Curb and gutter and sidewalk installation should also begin on IL Rte. 176 starting within 2 weeks.  

Watch for traffic flaggers, avoid using your cell phone and drive safely through the construction zone.

Words Of Wisdom

"Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate governments, to which the people are attached and by which the militia officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of."

 --James Madison, Federalist No. 46, 1788

Not All Fish Caught In Illinois Waters Edible

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has announced its 2013 consumption advisories for sport fish caught in Illinois waters. 

The Illinois Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program screens fish samples from approximately 40 bodies of water each year for contamination from 14 banned pesticides, industrial chemicals and methylmercury.  The program is a joint effort of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and the departments of agriculture, natural resources and public health.

The fish are collected by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and tested by IEPA.  IDPH issues an annual consumption advisory based on the IEPA test results. 

Fish can be an important part of a balanced diet and the advisories are not meant to discourage people from eating fish, but should be used as a guideline to help people decide the types of fish to eat, how often and how to prepare the fish to reduce possible contaminants,” said IDPH Director Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck.  “While nutritious and low in fat, contaminants may make some fish unsafe to eat except in limited quantities, particularly for women of childbearing age and young children.”

The statewide mercury advisory cautions sensitive populations (i.e. women of childbearing age, pregnant women, fetuses, nursing mothers and children younger than 15 years of age) to eat no more than one meal per week of predator fish, which pose a greater risk because they feed on other fish and accumulate higher amounts of methylmercury.  Predator fish include all species of Black Bass, (Largemouth, Smallmouth and Spotted) Striped Bass, White Bass, Hybrid Striped Bass, Flathead Catfish, Muskellunge, Northern Pike, Saugeye, Sauger and Walleye. 

In McHenry County, these advisories include Lake in the Hills and Nippersink Creek.  Mercury is found throughout a fish’s muscle tissue (the edible part of the fish) rather than in the fat and skin.  Therefore, the only way to reduce mercury intake is to reduce the amount of contaminated fish eaten. The advisory can be found on IDPH’s website www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/fishadvisory/illinois_fish_advisory.pdf.

Government At Work

FRIDAY, APRIL 5—

8:30 a.m. – McHenry County Continuum of Care for Homelessness-

Meeting in the Planning and Development Conference Room 20, County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock.

Several presentations are scheduled from participating groups including Pioneer Center/Pads, Home of the Sparrow, TLS, and Turning Point. Also, New Business includes the ranking of projects for ESG Funding, discussion and action.

Keeping Books Out of Landfills

For several years, the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County have raised funds and kept good books out of the landfill through their Green Spot Used Books and more store, located in the Woodstock Square Mall building at 110 S. Johnson Street, Suite 104.  Hours are: Tuesday – Friday 11:00am – 4:00pm and Saturday 11:00am – 3:00pm. Closed Sundays and Mondays.

Now that Spring is finally here, the Green Spot is celebrating with a "Spring Cleaning Sale"!  For every $5 spent on their selection of gently used books, gifts, and green items, choose a FREE book from their sale rack!  Be sure to check out the featured display of gardening and landscaping books, which will be Buy One, Get One FREE in April and May. 

Donations of gently used books can be dropped off while the Green Spot is open, or any time in the book drop-box in front of the mall building.

The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and improvement of the environment. The group provides community residents with educational programs and volunteer action on pollution prevention, sustainable land use and energy and natural resource conservation. Donations are encouraged and are tax-deductible as charitable contributions.  For more information, visit www.mcdef.org or call 815-338-0393.