REWARD BEING OFFERED FOR INFORMATION ON COPPER WIRE THEFTS
With people risking their lives and compromising electrical systems nationwide, Southwestern Electric is now offering a reward in regards to some recent thefts. Copper wire has been stolen from area substations owned by the Southwestern Electric Co-op on four separate occasions since April. $2,500 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of people stealing from these substations.
Southwestern Electric's Joe Richardson reminds people that breaking into the substations and cutting loose the wire is very dangerous and deadly. He also advises residents that if you see a vehicle parked near a utility substation at night, and it doesn't have the company's logo on it, then call police immediately. He also says not to approach the people or interfere with what they're doing. Because by doing that, you could compromise your own safety.
According to Richardson, the only thing protecting you from several thousand volts of electricity on those lines, is distance. Never go near a downed power line or a substation. To report suspicious activity to Southwestern Electric, call their office at 1-800-637-8667.
SEATBELT ENFORCEMENT THROUGHOUT GREENVILLE OVER THE WEEKEND
If you were out and about over Memorial Day weekend, you might have come across a few seatbelt enforcement checkpoints in Greenville. On Sunday, Greenville Police were at Idler and Butternut in the early evening. They issued three driver and one passenger no seatbelt citations. A couple hours later, they could be found at 4th and Franklin, where they issued two driver and two passenger no seatbelt citations.
Checkpoints will continue to be scattered throughout Greenville until June 3rd. The Click It or Ticket campaign is funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation.
ROUTE 66 BIKE RIDE THIS WEEKEND
Illinois' historic Route 66, running from Chicago to the Missouri Border, is calling on bicyclists to ride sections of road in one day. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is inviting those who are interested in participating to gather at one of six locations along the route on Saturday, June 2nd to celebrate efforts to blaze the trail for future riders.
Route 66 was once the major highway from Chicago to Los Angeles. Over the years, it's been eclipsed by interstate highways, on which travelers bypassed small towns along the way. The ride this weekend will help visitors sample the history of Route 66 once again.
Bicyclists can choose to ride a part of or the whole segment of their section, starting anywhere along the route. They will be able to choose their own starting time in order to arrive at the participating towns by 12PM, where various ceremonies will be held. Participating communities in our area include Staunton and Edwardsville. To find out more, visit www.BikeLIB.org/Route66.
LEGISLATIVE SESSION ENDS THIS WEEK IN SPRINGFIELD
The end of the legislative session in Springfield is scheduled for this Thursday, May 31st and budget issues are likely to be the focus of attention. However, many other bills were passed last week through the Senate, according to Senator Frank Watson.
House Bill 147 requires all insurers to provide coverage for a comprehensive breast exam at least every three years for women between 20 and 40. The exam is required annually for women 40 and older. And in legislation that passed both houses, Senate Bill 172 would increase the required permit phase for drivers under the age of 18 from three to nine months. The measure also proposes a stricter driving curfew for new drivers.
And in an effort to offer consumers relief in the face of rising gasoline prices, Senate Republicans are sponsoring HB 576 that eliminates the state's portion of the 6.25 sales tax rate from motor fuel.
